The Fall
by REDSTORMAR555
Summary: As the fires of revolution ignites all of Panem, Katniss struggles to become the leader she needs to be. As thirteen is mercilessly beaten back, the Capitol and another rebel faction fight tooth and nail for the country, with Twelve in the epicenter of the conflict. As the battle escalates, the rebels launch a daring operation that may decide the fate of the war torn nation.
1. Chapter 1

**Don't own Hunger Games.**

* * *

"What is it they want us for?"

"They didn't ask for us, but we need to know how district 13 is doing in the war."

"Do you think it could change that quickly? When the were picked up from the arena, I heard we had a few districts."

"This is war. Anything can happen. It's like the Games. You have to expect everything to go wrong at a moment's notice."

"I'm sorry you have such experience."

"So am I." I say. We pause in front of the door. "Any more questions?"

Flora glances at herself, then to me. "Maybe we should have worn clothes?"

I stare at her, then glance down at myself, only a hospital gown concealing both of us. I was in such a hurry when I heard there was a meeting that I just jumped out of bed.

"A little late for that, isn't it?" I say dryly.

"Hey, you're the one who dragged me out of bed." Flora raises her hands. "You want us to get better but if you keep doing this you'll only stay in that room longer."

"Fine. After this meeting we'll stay as long as we have to. Stop patronizing me."

"I can see why Alto took such an interest in you." Flora whispers under her breath absentmindedly.

I give her a sad smile. "It's because I talked back and was the only one who wouldn't stroke his ego. At least on purpose anyway." I think back to my first Games, when he tricked me into saying how handsome he was.

Flora looks like she's seen a ghost after realizing what she said. "I-I'm sorry I brought it up."

"It's...alright, Flora." I say as I take a deep breath. "It's...still hard, knowing he's gone."

"We'll get through this Katniss. I'm here for you, any time you need me." Flora says as she takes hold of my hand, giving it a squeeze.

"I don't know how I'd still be sane without you here." I say.

"I think it's the other way around Katniss." She replies. She motions to the door. "Well, after you."

I push the door open. Everyone pauses as we walk in, so it's unknown what they were speaking of. Gale doesn't look to good, if only because of the massive scowl on his face, though that disappears as he lays his eyes on me. Coin, who's on his left, seem in an even worse a mood. Everyone else seems worried about something.

"See Flora. Something happened for them to look like this."

"I'll take your word for it next time." She replies.

"Shouldn't you two still be in hospital beds?" Gale asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't tell you how to take care of yourself." I tell him.

"Katniss."

"Oh, quiet." We move to the table. Everyone doesn't make a sound and simply watch us as we situate ourselves. When done, we glance back at them, Flora with a neutral expression while I have an eyebrow raised.

"So what's happening out there?"

"A lot." Gale answers, seeing it as futile to argue with me. "And none of it good."

Coin speaks. "Through our extensive intelligence network, we've discovered a second rebel movement. We don't have much besides a name. They call themselves "Free Panem."

"And that's a bad thing?" Flora asks.

"It normally wouldn't be. We would have the potential to become allies and join our forces. But Free Panem wants nothing to do with us. Whenever we try and open lines for communication, they ignore them. We tried sending a diplomat to their front lines, even told them we were coming, and Free Panem immediately open fire on them. No questions, no warnings, just a spray of bullets and missiles. No survivors." Gale states. His scowl grows as he continues. "The second bad is that both Free Panem and the Capitol are using technology that we're not familiar with. Take this for example." He pulls a picture from somewhere and hands it to me.

I have to say, I've never seen anything like it. It was...something. Maybe a hovercraft. It had two engines, at least I think they are, it's front was pointed, it's wings massive, and smooth looking. Very smooth looking, and through I had no idea of what it was, it looked dangerous. Like a predator.

"From what I've been able to scrounge up on Capitol intelligence." Plutarch says. "I've surmised that these vehicles are from the Pre-Panem, when this country was still known as the United States. I've only found a name and a specification. The aircraft is called a Raptor, and it's a stealth fighter."

"Stealth fighter?" I've never heard of such a thing.

"An aircraft specificity designed to destroy other aircraft. Stealth means it's invisible to radar. We can't see it coming, which means it has a huge advantage." Plutarch give a grimes.

"Those and other Pre-Panem aircraft have been picking our hovercraft out of the sky. We've had to hold back on them because we're loosing so many. The other problem is that both the Capitol and Free Panem outnumber us heavily, more then we even thought. We had control of three, five, seven, ten, eleven, and twelve. It's been twelve days, and we're barely holding onto ten. Free Panem and the Capitol have pushed us out of all of them, and they may do the same to us in ten. We're taking a beating from both sides."

...

...

"Damn it." I curse as I take in the information. "So basically what you're saying is that we're out of this war? That we've been beaten?"

"Not yet. We're sending troops to ten to keep what we already have and I have more massing at the boarders of twelve. We've been getting reports that the district is seeing some of the heaviest fighting in the country, so the Capitol and Free Panem may be wearing themselves down there. If we time it right, we can take the district quickly." Coin says.

"I wasn't aware that district twelve even existed still. Wouldn't the Capitol send bombers to destroy it?" I ask.

"They did, but Free Panem blew them out of the sky. They want the district bad." Gale says.

"They may want the district solely on the point that the rebellion started there. That and they can use it as a base of operations once they have it under control. They can easily turn it into a fortress if the need arises. It has the perfect terrain; it's in the mountains with massive forests surrounding it and if they take the train, they can deny heavy troop movement to the Capitol." Flora buts in. "They can do anything with it really."

"How the hell did you come up with that?" I turn to her.

"You have to remember Katniss that I was a Career. I was born in twelve but raised in two. They teach you to look at everything in detail, see what someone could do with something to give them the advantage."

At that, a young man bursts through the door, his hand filled with paperwork of some kind. He only gives us a second before quickly walking to Coin. He hands her a paper before he bolts out the door, leaving all except Coin confused. She looks at the paper, bringing it up close to her face, her eyes sliding left to right for a few seconds before she crumbles the paper in her hand. She tosses it onto the table.

"The Capitol just pushed us out of ten, and our troops massed at the boarders of twelve were discovered. They fell back, a quarter of their number intact. Free Panem to blame for this one." She says, her face straining to stay neutral. Her voice, however, shook in anger at what she said next. "They used napalm."

Everyone seem to know what napalm is except Gale and myself, as we give confused expressions. "Napalm?"

"A gel like substance that burns very easily, and keeps burning for a long while. Think of coal dust, only like a gel that sticks to everything, then make it burn twice as hot, and for ten minutes straight."

I get it through my head, as does Gale, and I think of the soldiers who suffered through that. Burning to death isn't a good way to go. Not at all.

"Bastards." Gale seethes.

"We're at a huge disadvantage now." Coin says. "A good portion of our force was wiped out because of that attack. We don't have the numbers at the moment, and surprise isn't on our side anymore. We can't touch them. So we'll let the Capitol and Free Panem fight it out."

Gale slams his fist on the table. "Damn it! We can't just sit here and do nothing!"

"I don't like it anymore then you do boy, but let's face facts; the Capitol and Free Panem are much more powerful then we believed them to be. And Free Panem was an unexpected movement we never accounted for, as with the technology. The most we can do is gather our forces and wait for the opportune moment. Until then, no other offensives will be conducted against both forces. You don't have to like it, but you must deal with it." Coin brushes past us. At that, everyone else exits the room, giving Flora and I nods as they pass, and before long, we're the only ones in the room.

"I don't think thirteen was ready for this kind of war." Flora says as she stares at the door.

"You think?" I reply with some agitation.

"What gets me is that they've been preparing for this rebellion for years. They should have everything ironed out, in the bag, or at least in some control." Flora continues. "Someone obviously screwed up."

"And that just makes things harder for me." I groan. I rub my eyes.

"Alto, if you're listening, help me out here."

* * *

**So here it is. First chapter of the last story in the "V2" series. Kind of sad really. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Don't own Hunger Games.**

* * *

"Hammer, we need to land. Has the LZ been cleared?"

_"Negative. Too many RPG's in the area. We can't send a team to clear it out. Sending new nav point."_

"Hammer, this takes us four clicks farther. You can't find anything closer?"

_"Negative. You'll have to make the most of it. Be advised, you will be alone in this, all forces are currently too occupied to give you any assist. Good luck."_

"Seven Delta Six Five copies. Out." The officer in front of the ship drops his hand from his ear and begins pacing the length of the hovercraft, passing by the fourth seven men and women under his command as he walked to the back of the hovercraft, in front of me. He leans against the opposite wall and grabs hold of the line above before the ramp begins to open. Light begins to flood the inside of our craft, said craft shifting to the right, heading to the new cords we were given.

"Listen up! Our mission is a simple one, but could easily change the face of history if we do it the wrong or right way. The Capitol has a very important package with them. It contains Capitol troop movements in the entire country. We need to get it the hell out of dodge before it can be taken to the Capitol. As Hammer said before, we will not be getting help in this, we're spread out too much even with the massive amount of troops we have at our back and call. If we fuck up, we're all dead. Don't screw this up!" The officer shouts at the ramp opens to it's fullest.

You remember how I said a light was washing into the hovercraft? It wasn't from the sun.

More or less, it's coming from the forest and district itself.

The forest and district were on fire, with more forest burning then district. Anti-aircraft fire could be seen from the district, from both Capitol and Free Panem forces. Fighters of all kinds were flying over head, doing some of the most amazing aerobatics I've ever seen anything do. Tracers, missile trails and burning planes added to the already thick smoke that clogged the night sky. On the ground, more tracers could be seen, with explosions and collapsing building coming into the mix.

So the reports were right. Twelve has seen the heavyset fighting in the country.

_"Missile!"_ We hear on our headsets. Another hovercraft, directly behind us, swerves to the left before it's front explodes, lifting the craft slightly before it came tumbling down to the ground.

"Damn it Hammer, I thought you said the route was clear!"

_"Never said anything of the sort Seven Delta Six Five. If you want to stay alive, you better reach that LZ, now."_

A missile from the sky plunges headlong into the ground, detonating, throwing metal and dirt into the air.

_"SAM destroyed."_ We see those strange aircraft fly by, a roar following as his engine pushed him skyward and back into the fray above.

"Still don't know how the Capitol kept those things so nice after so many years." I hear the soldier next to me whisper to herself.

"They're more advance than anything we have." Another says.

"But that tech is old. And I mean, before everything went to hell old. Before Panem. Like the aircraft that passed us. They called it a F-16 Fighting Falcon back then."

"You know their names?"

"Saddle up! Twenty seconds till drop!" At this everyone stands and begins checking their gear. I do the same, making sure I know my ammo is still on me as well as the vest I'm wearing, and making sure the safety on the rifle is off, the women behind me checks my gear quickly while I do the same for the man in front of me before we pat their head twice.

"You alright? You look scared shitless." I turn to the officer next to me, whose expression doesn't change.

"I've been through a lot in life, but I don't think even that can prepare me for this." I reply.

"Damn right it can't. But keep your head in the game, boy. You wanted to come here."

"I know. You don't need to worry about me. I know the stakes better than anyone here. I'll kill as many bastards as I need to."

The officer give a nod of approval. "Welcome to Free Panem." He turns to his men. "Five seconds!" The hovercraft descends rapidly, though I'm the only one who loses my footing. Just as quickly as the hovercraft falls, is stops, the ramp a few inches from the ground.

"Go, go, go!" The officer shouts as he bolts out the rear, the rest of us quickly filing out of the craft. It's a short few seconds before the ram closes and the hovercraft takes into the air, leaving us here.

Victor Village.

"Damn Capitol." I hear a soldier whisper. "Hope they all fucking burn."

"Cut the chatter." The officer says as he glances at his eyepiece. "We're seven clicks away from the package. Intel says it's in a massive building, three stories high. The district calls it The Shelter. Also says the building will be guarded like a fortress; they're using it to direct their forces in the district. When we pick up the package, we burn the building to the ground. Anyone need a recap? No? Then move your asses!"

We don't wait another second as we begin pushing into the district. We don't have to worry about enemy fire now since Victor Village and a mile into the district is under Panem control. They're using the houses as infirmaries, even using one of the Twelve victor's house as a command center to direct the other pockets of Panem forces that were fighting for the district.

I look around, and nothing has been left unscathed. Most buildings I see have scorch marks and bullet holes in them, with massive chunks of the walls or ceiling missing, windows blown out, with some building's no longer standing. A select few were still burning, with no one trying to stop them, too busy trying to stay alive. Civilians littered the streets, living and dead, with the living running in our direction for safety against Capitol fire. We've been evacuating them out of the district and into eleven, which is mostly in our control, with small pockets of resistance that were already done for. Now if only district Thirteen stopped annoying us we could focus a little more on the Capitol.

"Just got an update; Thirteen is out of the picture." The officer says.

Well, that was ironic.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Capitol pushed them out of ten and we found them gathering forces outside of twelve. Napalmed the hell out of the area. Killed most, the rest fled. They won't be recovering from that quickly."

"Didn't think they put up much opposition sir." One soldier says.

The officer smirked. "They didn't. Only reason they took the districts was because we were busy fighting the Capitol. Compared to either of us, they don't offer much."

"Feel sorry for the poor bastards who signed up with them."

"Don't we-"

**Boom!**

The soldier next to me drops, his head now missing. Everyone drops to the ground and tries to find cover. A second later, I nearly lose my head; the wall I'm using as cover gets a nice hole the size of my head a foot away from me.

"Sniper!" Shouts the officer.

"It's anti-material!" I scream back.

"No shit Sherlock!"

"Anyone see where the shot came from?"

"I saw the flash. One o'clock, two hundred meters, roof of the bakery."

"I see it." The women hoists her rifle. "I need someone to draw his fire. Any volunteers?"

"Got it." I reply.

"Okay. I just need you to run across the street. He needs to fire one at you so I can find him. Don't get shot, and you'll be okay. Alright?"

"Don't get shot." I say bluntly. "Right."

"On my mark." The officer says. "Three, two, one, mark!"

I sprint to across the street towards a pair of pillars that I could use as cover. Problem is that they're a good ten meters away from me, giving the Capitol sniper plenty of time to get a fix on me. One hit with that rifle and I'm done, regardless of where it hits. I hear a shot, and the ground in front of me explodes, and I yell as some bits of concrete pelt my face. I hear another shot, this one recognized as one of the squad members. Even then, I don't stop until I'm safely behind something solid before questioning them.

"You get him?" I ask through my headset.

"He's down. Hold one moment, scanning the area for more." She replies. I can see her rifle barrel swing from side to side slowly, as not to show her position to other sniper that might be in the area. It takes a minute or two before she gives the all clear, in which we all begin moving again, a bit more slowly and carefully this time.

"Guess he sneaked past our lines. Passed our troops and UAVs. Clever bastard." Our team sniper comments as we reach the Hob.

"Hold a moment. Getting something on the radio." The officer says. He motions to his head. "Switch frequency." We all do so.

_"This is a bulletin to all Panem forces in the D-12 region. Reports have come in that Capitol forces are using prototype stealth technology for individual forces. All personnel are advised to stay on alert at all times. Indication of stealth forces in your area is shimmering air. Repeat-"_

"So now they have invisible troops." One soldier grunts. "Fucking perfect."

"This doesn't change our objective. We keep pressing forward." The officers says. "Goddamn ghosts aren't going to stop us from ending this war."

"Yes sir." We all reply.

* * *

"I...I...w-what?"

"W-where..."

"Where...a-am..."

...

"H...huh?"

I glance at my wrists, which are no longer restrained. I don't believe it at first, and simply stare numbly at my arms. It takes a moment before I try moving them, and my mind finally gets it that my arms are free. I test my legs, finding that they to have been released. Even then, I still take a minute or two before I'm standing, trying to gain feeling back into my legs and arms after a week of disuse. Bastards had me tied in that chair for the entire time. I haven't eaten or had a drink of any water; they kept me going through an IV.

I stretch my arms and legs, try and pop my spine without hurting myself, and glance around the room. The doctors aren't here, and...

I pause when I spot two bodies on my right, about a foot from me. One is a peacekeeper, his throat slit open, while the other is wearing a uniform I can't identify, a metal rod sticking out of his back.

It's a little obvious who set me free, and I can only think of two entities that want me alive, but I push that in the back of my head. I have to get out of here. I walk to the bodies and take a rifle from the unknown soldier, which is the same the peacekeeper has, all the ammunition I can carry, and the knife.

"Sorry man, but I need this." I say to the unknown soldier as I pick up a device from his corpse. It's small and is like a ring, able to fit around my arm, colored in a dark grey. There's a button on the outside. I slide the device on my arm, and press the button.

At first, I don't see a difference. There wasn't a sound or anything that indicated that it was working. I went to turn it off when I noticed I didn't see my arm. What, was it not functioning?

Wait...

This is my arm.

I glance at myself, finding that I can't see anything to indicate that I we even there.

"Stealth technology?" I blink. "Who the hell made this? How the hell did they make this? How the...never mind. Think about this later. Have better things to do, like getting the hell out of here. Find a radio me get the hell out of here" I need to be careful. I'm in a building infested with Capitol soldiers, and I'm not sure if the stealth device has a time limit or not, but I'll assume that it does.

I open the door slowly, slipping past it once I had just enough room and silently close it behind me. The hallway is empty, but I can hear chatter from across the hall as well as footsteps. From outside you can hear gunfire and explosions as the war that is no doubt going on outside, is waged.

_'Two people were able to ignite a revolution.' _I thought. It still amazes me how influential certain individuals could be in history. Regardless of who'll win this war, they would be remembered by everyone.

I pause and hug the wall as two peacekeepers pass by, rifles at the ready. They pass by without a glance, and after they turn the corner, I begin moving.

_'Radio, radio, where to find a radio? What floor am I on?' _I can't remember if the doctors said anything about the floor. I'll just have to find some stairs.

I pass an open door and peek into it, finding three peacekeepers inside, one sitting at a table while to others seemed occupied in a conversation. The gunfire and explosions muffled their voices. But I was interested in the radio I see the sitting peacekeeper using to care what was being said.

_'Okay. How to go about this?'_ I don't have a silencer, and a knife can only kill so quickly before they realize what's happening.

Guess that leaves me no choice.

Hope these walls are soundproof.

I silently creep in, carefully sliding the rifle from my back into my hands and make my way to the open door. When I'm all the way inside, I begin closing the door. I stop immediately when it makes a dreadfully loud creaking noise. One of the peacekeepers turns to face the door, giving it a half glance before moving towards me. I press myself against the wall behind the door as he reaches the door. He doesn't spare a glance at anything as he closes it himself, the door giving a loud creak as it shuts.

"Damn, I'm going to lose my hearing with this door." He says to no one before making his way back to his original position.

"What do you expect? This building's falling apart to begin with, a war isn't going to help it out." The other said. The one on the radio doesn't respond, too busy listening to a message.

Now's as good a chance as any.

I raise my rifle and aim for the two standing peacekeepers before pulling the trigger. One takes a bullet to the head, killing him instantly, while the second one takes a few rounds to the chest. The armor he's wearing protects him from four before the fifth and six punch through. The one on the radio doesn't move immediately, too shocked at seeing these two men die in front of him. He makes a move for his weapon, but a barrel against his temple stops him short. I press the stealth system off and reveal myself, weapon still aimed.

"You're going to help me send a message. If you do that for me, I'll consider not painting the wall with the inside of your skull." My tone says I have no time for stupidities.

He gives a slow nod, but doesn't show that he's scared. "I don't know rebel communications."

"Then we send a message on all frequencies. You can do that?"

He gives another nod and begins to turn dials and knobs, assumable to send the message on all frequencies. I would have killed him if I knew what I was doing. It takes a few moments before he motions to the microphone in front of him. I take in in one hand while the other holds the weapon.

"To any rebel forces in District twelve, this message is for you. Please answer immediately."

The answer is almost immediate. _"We hear you. You're risking a lot by sending a message to everyone. But enough chit chat."_

"I'm a prisoner of the Capitol, being held inside a building in twelve once called the shelter. I need out, along with one more prisoner. Maybe send a medic along if you can. I'm not sure if the other can walk."

_"Lucky for you we already have a team on their way. Don't know how long it'll take them, so you'll have to hold."_

"Got it. I'll sit tight. Out." I knew it was dangerous talking like this where everyone could hear, so the sooner I got off the airways, the better.

_"Hold a moment, we need a name so we don't shoot you by accident."_

I pause a moment, but only a moment. I don't bother looking at the peacekeeper as I blow his head open and he falls to the floor. They must have heard that, but they don't react in a way that I can hear. I prepare myself afterwards, because after this, I'm going guns blazing.

"Just get here quick, I think they heard that shooting."

I'm not lying either. The door bursts open and a peacekeeper rushes me, only to take a rifle butt to the face before two rounds tear into her skull. I fire once at the radio, destroying it, before jogging to the two bodies of the other peacekeepers, flipping the table just in case and taking the weapon of one, who was wielding a shotgun.

"This'll come in handy." If the peacekeepers didn't hear the guns blazing before, shooting that last women warned everyone on the floor, maybe the building.

I jog to the door and peek out, only to force myself back as a hail of bullets pepper the wall.

"Who's idea was this again? Oh yeah, mine!" I say as I activate the stealth field. When the rounds stop flying, I peek again. I see four peacekeepers on my right, taking cover behind the wall.

Two fall before they realize I'm using stealth tech, in which case they pull some strange goggles on that were on their heads and begin firing again, this time at me. My only thought as I'm taking cover is that they can see past the field. I turn off the field soon after, then fire back at them, catching one off guard, pumping him full of lead. The other isn't fazed and keeps firing, getting lucky when a round enters my shoulder. I give a small yell and retreat back against the wall as I hear more footsteps of peacekeepers.

"Guns blazing. What a brilliant idea!"

* * *

_"Seven Delta Six Five, I have new information for you."_

"Lay it on us Hammer." The officer says.

_"We just received radio contact with a POW inside the Shelter. He says there are others with him. You have two objectives now; to secure the package and the POW's."_

"So now I'm babysitting?"

_"Don't know about that. The man sounds like he can take care of himself. I recommend you pick up the pace, the gunfire was very telling before we lost contact."_

"Copy Hammer. Out."

"We have a badass over here." One of the soldiers comments sarcastically. "Going to get himself killed, idiot."

"Shove it. If Hammer wants us to babysit POW's, we'll babysit. Let's pick up the pace, we're less than a click from the Shelter."

"After damn near running a marathon to get here." I comment, not appreciating nearly losing head my twice on our way here.

"Come on boy, you're young. You should be full of energy." The women comments while snickering.

"God, I'm so close. So, bloody close to beating you."

"Save that for after we're out of here." The officer says as he grabs my shoulder and pushes me forward. "Get your head in the game. Now take position. Cover Pliny. James, your group, stay with them. Rest of you with me. I'll give you a signal and we'll waste them."

"What's the signal?" I ask.

"You'll see." Is all he says before taking off with the rest of the group.

"Hope he knows what he's doing."

"You worry too much. Give the guy some credit, he's been in the military for twenty years."

"That's a little long isn't it?"

"Normal in their case."

I shake my head and sigh. "I guess I shouldn't question it."

We pause in our talk, gunfire now filling the air.

"Guys, you okay?"

_"That's not us."_ The officer says over the radio. _"It's coming from the building."_

"Must be one hell of a fight that POW's putting up." Pliny states, aiming at the building.

_"All the more reason for us to hurry. Almost in position."_

"Might want to pick up the pace. I'm seeing peacekeepers exiting the building. They seem onto us. Must have been from that transmission that POW made earlier." A group of ten begins taking positions on the ground to keep us away.

"Makes things harder for us. Whoa!" I comment as a bullet zooms past me.

"Damn it, returning fire." Pliny fires of a round, and I see one of the peacekeepers chest explode in a puff of red, the man spinning to the ground.

"Nasty." I say as our group opens fire. Two more peacekeepers fall while the others fire in our direction.

"You guys ready yet?!" Pliny.

_"Just keep shooting! They jumped us, we're in the open!"_ The officer's voice could barely be heard over gunfire and explosions.

"Grenade out!" One of the soldiers shouted as he tossed it. The peacekeepers threw themselves into any cover they could find before it detonated harmlessly. The grenade thrower took a bullet to his head for his trouble.

"Damn it, what's with all the snipers!?"

"Shut up and keep shooting!"

"Fire from three, from three o'clock!" I turn my attention to three, finding more than a dozen peacekeepers exiting the building through another exit.

"Hell of a lot more than I expected!"

At that the unexpected happens.

The window on the third floor shatters, and from the window a peacekeeper flies out. He falls all the way down, landing on his back. He's still alive, but in obvious pain, but he's grabbing at his chest erratically. My curiosity at this action is answered when he quite literally disappears, sending a few other peacekeepers to the ground, bleeding profusely, either dead or dying. Less than a second later, gunfire rained down on the peacekeepers below the same third story window. With no cover to hide behind, they were at the gunman's mercy, who cut them down with equal measure.

"If you guys could pick up the pace!" The gunman shouted. "I'm running out of ammo here!" There was a small pause, then shotgun blasts.

"That was...interesting." Pliny stated, another peacekeeper falling under her sight.

"You're telling me.

* * *

"In a bit of a hurry here fellas!" I shout once more before tossing one grenade down the stairs. These narrow walkways were doing wounders for me at the moment.

"Oh no, you stay down." A shotgun blast ends the life of another wounded peacekeeper. They've stopped trying to climb the stairs and are waiting for me to move, but seeing that the force sent to this building are outside, I have time on my side.

Though I'm not sure if my friend does.

When the grenade blows, I immediately sprinted down those stairs, catching one peacekeeper off guard. She's too slow and takes a twelve gauge to the chest point blank, throwing her back and across the hall.

"It's going to take a lot more than torture and gunfire to keep this bastard down!" I shout at them as I toss another grenade.

"Down!" I hear someone shout. I peek over when the grenade goes off. One peacekeeper threw himself on the explosive, nullifying the blast to just himself. He's thrown into the air, and lands with a sickening slap.

"Nasty." I say absentmindedly, letting off a burst of my rifle, keeping the others down as I make my way to an injured man behind a wall. I picked up the rifle he was trying to reach for. He was most likely the one in charge, since his uniform was a little more elaborate than the others, and the armor was of better quality, though it only spared his life from the other grenade I tossed down here.

"Keys? I'll take those." I snatch the ring of keys at his waist. He grunts at the pain I put on his open leg.

"Just sit there quietly. I'll be done in a moment." Another peacekeeper falls to my rifle.

There are only three peacekeepers, the rest too occupied with the rebel force to bother with me. The rebels are the larger threat here. Helps me though.

"Let's try this again." I activate the stealth system, but a sharp beep comes from it.

"What? Almost out of power maybe? Then let's make this quick."

I wield my 12 gauge, charging the three peacekeepers. They don't see me until I'm within striking distance, which is too late. The first man takes it like the women that I killed first. He's blown back by the blast. The second took the buttstock to the face, distracting him before firing at the third man. After he falls, the second peacekeeper charges me. He tackles me, throwing our weapons out of our grip. I turn in my fall, pulling my knife and digging it into his neck, the only place on his person that would allow for a knife to penetrate. He lets loose a gurgle before drowning in his own blood.

"Finished. And so is this thing." I yank the broken stealth system off my arm while cleaning the bloody knife on my tattered jacket. I retrieve my gun and jog back to the down peacekeeper commander. He's still there, having not tried to get away, though since we're on the second floor, there isn't anywhere he can go.

"Since you had these, that means you know things. I'd like to know where you're keeping my friend." I say.

"Fuck...you..." He replies in a gruff tone.

"Wait a minute...I know that voice."

I grab the man's helmet, lifting it off his head and take in this face; mouth with hard, deep lines. Gray hair shaved almost to nonexistence, eyes so black they seem all pupils, a long, straight nose.

"Oh ho ho! What do we have here? If it isn't Thread." I press my foot on his leg wound, earning a grunt. "Not so high and mighty now are you fat ass?"

He simply glares at me.

"So we can do this the easy or hard way. Easy means you tell me and I let you live, while hard means I beat the information out of you and kill you. Failing that, I'll just kill you and look myself. So which is it going to be? I really hope it the hard way."

"I'm not telling you shit." He seethes.

I smirk. "Wrong answer."

My shotgun in hand, I aim and fire point blank at his kneecap.

He screams in pain as his leg is nearly torn in two, and soon after he starts shaking, shock starting to get to him.

"Tell me now and I won't do the other one." I almost sing.

Something is _really_ wrong with me.

"Far...far left room...a-at the e-e-end of t-the hall..." He grunts.

"See? Was that so hard?"

I fire at his other knee anyway.

He screams again, and I wait until his scream subsides before finally ending his pain by firing at his head. He slumps down, his lower jaw bearly hanging onto what was left of his skull. Without a second thought, I jog to the door he directed me to. I pull the key from my pocket and insert it into the lock, twisting until it clicked. Soon after I start unlatching the other locks before opening the door.

**"YOU!"**

"What!? But-"

**"FUCKERS! I'LL KILL BOTH OF YOU!"**

I made good on my promise.

Only a few seconds had passed, but I turned these doctors, these two animals who made this past week a living nightmare, into bullet ridden corpses.

And I found my friend.

I immediately begin working on the bindings at his legs and arms, getting through them quickly.

"Hey buddy. Are you alive? Can you hear me?" I grip his shoulder when he falls forward.

He stirs, but doesn't respond in any other way.

"At least you're alive." I say as I lift him onto my back. My entire body protests this movement, but there's nothing much I can do. My body's been protesting moving since I started this whole shenanigan.

"Just stay with me a little longer. We'll be okay." I say as I begin to walk. The going's slow, but I'm getting there. As soon as I'm halfway down the stairs, I set him down gently, before pulling my rifle out and sticking to the corner, just before the stairs turn to finish their journey. I can hear someone climbing it. So I take my rifle by the barrel and swing it like a bat just as the individual makes it up to my level.

He falls back, tumbling down the stairs, spitting curses out like no tomorrow. I turn the corner and prepare to fire, but his face catches my eye.

I know him.

And he knows me.

"W...what? But..."

I'm too stunned to speak. Only a grunt comes from my throat. He looks at me again, his hand dropping from his face, blood falling from the broken nose I gave him, and he speaks again.

"Alto?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Don't own Hunger Games.**

* * *

"Alto?"

I blink. "Peeta?!"

We stare at the other, in complete shock of what's in front of us.

"They told me you were dead!" Peeta's on his feet, his hands gripping my shoulders hard.

"They told me the Capitol took you!" I respond much the same.

...

...

"God, it's good to see you!" I embrace him, but I'm not convinced that he's real.

"Am I dreaming? Are you real? Please tell me this is real. This would be so fucked if it wasn't. Please say yes. Please."

He just eyes me, more my body than anything else. I look down to myself to see what he finds so interesting. And then I realize this is the first time I've looked at myself.

My clothes are done for. My pants aren't as bad as I thought they were. They have tears and holes in it, but they still function. My shirt and jacket are another story. Both are in tatters, barely hanging onto my person, caked in dried blood. The holes reveal the bandages underneath, which cover my entire chest, my arms, hands, all stained red. I can only imagine what my face looks like.

"You look like shit." He says.

"I feel like it." I reply, and my eyes light up. "I wouldn't feel like shit if it was a dream."

"No you wouldn't. Now come on, we need to get you out of here." He begins to push me forward.

"Wait! Wait! We can't leave Finnick!"

"Finnick's here?"

"Yeah! I left him by the stairs!" I shrug his hands off me and jog up the stairs to where I seated the unconscious man. When I take a look at him, he looks better than I do. That's saying a lot. His clothes are more whole than mine, but he has bandages as well. He doesn't look like he's had much sleep either.

"Finnick? Finnick? Can you hear me? Come on man, answer me." I gently shake his shoulder.

He stirs this time, his eyes dilated. He doesn't seem to recognize where he is. He lazily bobs his head side to side, taking in his new surroundings. Then he eyes me.

"A-Alto? But...how? They...they said you were-"

"Dead?" I finish. I give my best smirk. "It's going to take a hell of a lot more to kill me then throwing missiles."

"Enough. Finnick, can you walk?" Peeta asks.

"I...I think so. H-help me up."

We take his arms and pull him up, but catch him when he loses his balance, much like I did when I came to. He tests a few steps down the stairs, a little rocky, but he stays. He makes it down the stairs without incident.

"I think I'm good."

"Good. Then take this." I hand him a rifle and a few magazines. He stares at the weapon in his hand. "I don't know how to load this thing."

"Here it's easy." Peeta begins to show him how to do so. I ignore them as I look at the door. I can see the other rebels outside, in positions to defend the building. Three are walking to the door.

When Peeta is done helping Finnick, the three rebels walk inside.

"Alto!?" They all say.

"Pliny?" What the hell, I'm seeing everyone today.

"But-"

"You thought I was dead. Yeah, I know, but here I am, in the flesh. World's going to have to work a lot harder to kill me."

"Holy shit, it's the Phoenix."

So they're calling me that now huh?

Well, all the better for all this.

"Thought I was dead right? Wow, that's going to get annoying fast." I say.

"Well this is fine and dandy." The older man says out loud, clapping once. "They send us to find Intel, we get two victors who were suppose to be dead! How the hell did you two survive?"

"You tell me." Finnick rubs his shoulders.

"You are some tough sons of bitches! But enough of that, let's get your asses out of here. You two look like you've been through hell."

"Don't I know it. My back." I stretched a little, careful not to open my healing wounds.

"Give us a moment, we'll search the building for the intel we need." The officer says before he walks with three others going up the stairs. Peeta leads Finnick and I to the wall, where he sits us down.

"Just give me a minute. Baxwool! Get in here!" A second later, a large bulky man enters the room, kneeling before us.

"Just going to check how you're holding up."

He spends a few minutes doing something that's akin to a check up, though obviously it's only the important parts. He checks our eyes, then our bodies.

"You mind taking a bullet out of my shoulder? Been bugging me since I was shot."

"When did you get shot?" Finnick asks.

"When I was trying to save your ass." I say simply.

"Uh, sure. I'll get it out." Baxwoll says awkwardly. Maybe it was with how casual I said that, like it happened on a regular bases.

Well, it kind of does. Not the getting shot part, but saving people generally.

By the time Pliny and her officer return, my shoulder's been patched up. The officer looks disappointed.

"Did you find what you were after?"

"No. Hammer must have been misinformed. Well, I guess you two will do."

"Sir." Pliny groans.

"Then let's get the hell out of here."

* * *

_"Take them down, damn it! Take them down!"_

_"Two on my six! Trying to shake them!"_

_"Jesus, that was close!"_

_"There's too many!"_

_"I need assistance! Don't think I can-"_

_"Cronin!"_

_"Eight fighters down!"_

_"We're being killed up here!"_

_"All fighters, delay that flight! We need to give them time!"_

_"We're trying! We can buy you ten more minutes, then I'm pulling my men out, not a minute more!"_

"_To all forces in the D-12 region. A Capitol flight of bombers is in route, ETA: fifteen mikes. Confirmed nuclear device on one bomber. Get the hell out of there!"_

* * *

"We just received information on the fighting in district twelve." Coin says, having visited Flora and I in the hospital. She knows I want to know things, and since I agreed to be their Mockingjay, I get all the info.

"Is the Capitol winning?" I ask.

"The opposite. They're being pushed back. Free Panem's beating them."

"I doubt you'd come tell us that they're simply winning." Flora says, a hint of dread in her voice.

"You're correct. The Capitol decided that if they can't have twelve, then no one can. They're prepared for that."

"They're going to fire bomb it." I feel anger. That's my home.

"No. They're going to turn it into a pile of radioactive rubble." Coin says quietly.

"No... They can't... They're that desperate!? Enough to drop a nuclear weapon!?" Flora is starting to become hysterical.

"Nu...nuclear?" I whisper. I can hardly believe it myself.

"Yes. In fifteen minutes, district twelve will be wiped off the map, with everyone in it." That's her last word as she walks out of the hospital wing.

Only one thing's going through my mind.

What kind of animals are they?

* * *

**Alto POV**

"They're going to nuke twelve!?" Peeta nearly screams.

"It's insurance." I say a little more calmly. Truth be told, I feel like how Peeta's reacting to this news. "They knew I was in twelve, but they had me. They would have sent me to the Capitol had I not busted out. Now they know I'm free, and they're not going to give the rebels their symbol."

"You mean-" even Finnick seems shocked at the scope.

"They're dropping the nuke to kill one person; me. It doesn't matter to them how many others lives burn in the process."

"Well we can't let them succeed. We just got you back, and I'll be damned if you made it this far just to fry in fifteen. So from here, we start running. Can you two do that?" The officer looks at Finnick and myself.

"I've ran with an open leg, burned and cut chest, and tracker Jacker venom in my bloodstream. I think I can do this."

"We'll be fine." Finnick glances at me. "You come out of the Games knowing how to take life threatening injuries and keep functioning."

"Move it you bastards!" I shout. They reply in kind at we start running.

We don't hit too much opposition, as the Capitol forces have probably gotten the memo that a nuke's coming our way, and most are trying to get to their hovercraft to evacuate. Some do stay though, trying to keep us here as long as they can, though that doesn't delay us much since we finish them quickly. Most groups are no bigger than ten, normally many injured from the fighting before when they come after us.

The soldiers try and keep Finnick and I from participating in the firefights. Not surprising since we're technically non-combatants, but that doesn't stop me from covering their right flank. Some try sneaking around when we meet a group, though they don't get far.

"Damn it Alto, why won't you stay down?" Pliny pushes me back during another firefight.

"Because I'm a stubborn bastard." I fire at one man, killing him with two rounds through the throat. "It's my nature."

"Who'd you get that from?" She remarks sarcastically.

"My father." I give a small smile that she doesn't notice. "The hell are we anyway? I don't recognize any buildings."

"Hob. Was burned again when the war started." Peeta answers.

"Holy damn." I say as I take in the carnage. What use to be the burned out Hob I remember is now nothing more then burning ashes.

_'Hope everyone got out.'_

Then the thought hits me.

I turn to Peeta. "The Shelter? Did everyone get out?" I wouldn't put it past the Capitol to just murder everyone in the building.

"A good majority got out before the fighting even started. A few didn't make it."

"How many? Who?"

"Two dozen. Don't know who, but one..." He pauses.

"Damn it Peeta, answer me!" I need to know who didn't make it.

"The old man... He's dead."

I don't react at first. I just stared at him, both unwilling to process it and or accept it. But by the way Peeta's face contorts to pain, he can see the sheer anguish on my face within the next minute.

"How?"

"He tried getting kids out of the school. Building collapsed on top of him when he made another run for more."

"Tell me at least it was quick."

"It was. Caught his head first. Killed him instantly." He says with barely repressed sadness.

I feel sad, angry, and relieved. He died quickly, so no pain, and the Capitol won't use him to get to me, as screwed up as that sounds. I can't morne now though. We need to get the hell out of here.

"RPG!"

"Get down!"

Someone grabs my head and forces it down. A second later, something detonates behind us, and we're thrown to the ground. Debris flies over us; dirt, metal, and concrete.

I lose my hearing from the explosion. Everything is muffled, so I don't understand anyone. Whoever has a hold of me though starts dragging me, and I have enough sense to follow. I find myself inside a building, back against the wall, next to a window Piny is using. She fires the rifle next to my head, though it's muffled blasts that I hear. Finnick's next to me, seeming a little dizzy.

"Hammer One, we need air support now. We're surrounded on all sides, can't maneuver! We have the Phoenix and another victor!"

_"The Phoenix?"_ I can hear him just above the gunfire._ "Damn it! Redirecting some air support to you. They were holding off the bombers. You have five minutes!"_

"ETA of support?"

_"Three. Get it done!"_ Hammer One shouted.

"I don't think this building can last for three minutes!" Peeta says as he glances at the ceiling. The cracks are getting bigger with each RPG that hits the house.

"Then I get their attention!" I shout as I bolt through the doorway.

"Alto!"

"Over here you assholes! The Phoenix is talking to you damn it!" I book it to another building a few meters away, ducking in cover as bullets and rockets are thrown in my direction. When the moment arises, in which the rockets stop flying, I charge for another building, this one instead filled with peacekeepers.

Upon entering, I throw a grenade to the right while I take the left. The first man I run into takes a twelve gauge to the stomach, the area exploding and sending a spray of red everywhere, and he's thrown back at his comrade. The other man falls as his friend's body hits him, and I simply slam my foot into his neck, a satisfying crack filling the room.

Another peacekeeper enters from where I came in, only to fall from my weapon.

"You bastards won't stop, will you!" I throw two grenades down the hall. "My father, my life, Katniss' life, Rue, Flora, Fash, everyone! The hell did I do to you!? The hell did Katniss do to you!?" I kick one down and fire at her face. "Now the Old Man's dead, the closest fucking thing to a father I've had! Bastards! I'll make sure you return to your families in fucking **BODY BAGS!**"

I was already making good on my promise.

How many had I killed already? A few dozen, I know for sure. But specify? I have no idea. I just know I've killed more than most peacekeepers killed in their entire career. And that number rises as I make my way through the building. The other peacekeepers in the surrounding buildings were trying to make it to my building, but the rebel's kept them at bay or killed the ones who were too slow.

"Alto!" I hear Peeta. I don't bother responding as I'm too busy killing. He ends up taking cover behind the wall as someone rakes the area with gunfire.

"Snap out of it Alto! You're going to get yourself killed!"

"People said I was going to die in the Games! I went through two and survived!" I smirked as I also took cover. "Besides, these asshats are making this too easy! You hear that!? I've only held a gun twice and I'm still killing you!" We both fired down the hall when we hear them scrambling to get closer, gunning down four.

"Alto." He knows something's wrong with me, and I know he knows what that is. That concussion of mine might of healed, but my slightly altered personality stayed with me.

So I guess I'm officially insane. A little. Maybe. Fifty percent.

The gunfire is drowned out by a roar of some sort. I've heard them before, but don't know where it comes from. Next thing I know, fire lights up half of the buildings in front of ours, and the ground shakes violently. A few seconds later, these weird looking aircraft start appearing. They have rotors, and are a bit blocky, with small wings on the side that hold weapons. They start firing at peacekeepers in the open while stationary. I've read a lot of books from back then, but I've never seen anything like this.

"The hell are those things?"

"I'll tell you later! Now come on! Hovercraft is touching down!" Peeta grabs my arm and drags me out of the building to the awaiting hovercraft. It's already full from from the other squads they must have picked up, but there's still room for us, since their numbers were cut in half before they ever reached me. We take the area walkway, and all the other soldiers seem to recognize me. They don't speak, but their eyes say it all; they thought I was dead.

I'm going to have to clear that up when I get to wherever we're going. Make sure the entire country knows I'm alive.

"Go, go, go!" The officer has no need to shout this as the hovercraft immediately takes to the air. The six rotor aircraft follow us closely, while some of the sleeker, faster ones high in the air cover us.

_"One minute."_ The radio in the hovercraft says. The soldiers begin putting on some sort of glasses. They're large and the tint is pitch black. Peeta hands Finnick and I a pair.

"I don't know if-"

"No." I interrupt him. "I need to see this." This is my home that's going up in flames. I have to see it, as much as I don't want to.

We both throw on the glasses, and for me, my vision is darkened immediately. It's as if it were a moonless night and you squinted; you can barely see anything.

_"Ten seconds."_

I'm holding my breath, as is Peeta. Even Pliny, who's next to me in a seat, is putting all her undivided attention out the back of the hovercraft. The seconds feel like milliseconds.

_"Impact."_

A bright flash is the first thing everyone registers. Even with the glasses, it lights up the entire district and then some. It hurts my eyes just looking at it like this, so I can't imagine what it looks like as normal. You must go blind instantly. The light lasts for a good minute before it dims, and then you see the real carnage.

A massive shockwave travels across the ground. Anything in the epicenter of the blast it probably gone, erased from existence. The shockwave seems to knock anything down near the epicenter, and gradually starts getting weaker the farther it gets. It's fast though, and the wave hits us. I have to cover my ears at the ear shattering roar it gives, the hovercraft itself lurching rather violently. We can even feel the heat from here, at the safe distance. And of course, the one thing that confirms our fears.

A mushroom cloud forming above the land.

District Twelve.

The district which supplied coal to the Capitol.

The district where the revolution began.

The district that twelve thousand people lived in.

The district that was Peeta's home. Katniss's home. _My_ home.

District Twelve.

The district that doesn't _exist_ anymore.

* * *

**Hours Later**

"District Twelve has been destroyed sir."

"I know that damn it. I know. How many casualties?"

"Nearly eight thousand on our side. Twice as many for the Capitol."

"And did we get that intel?"

"No sir."

"So was all that for nothing?"

"Not completely sir. We have confirmation; the Phoenix is alive."

...

"Well I'll be damned."

"Pardon sir?"

"Get him the best medical care we have. We don't know what the Capitol did to him when they held him. Best be prepared for the worst."

"Yes sir."

* * *

"I'm sorry." Finnick doesn't say what he's sorry for, but it's rather obvious what it is.

Peeta was sitting next to me, his eyes red, staring at his feet. Pliny was on my left, mimicking Peeta. All the soldiers in here seemed down in the dumps. Watching a district you were fighting for go up in nuclear fire tends to do that to people. People seem to to be glancing at me though. I've just sat here silently, hands together, index fingers against both sides of my nose. To everyone, I look fine, like I'm in deep concentration. Like seeing my home destroyed was a natural thing for me. On the inside though...I don't know. I'm rather conflicted. I feel sad, I'll even say heartbroken. Sure, district twelve wasn't the best place to live, but it was still my home. The place I meet Katniss, Gale, Peeta, Pliny, the Old Man, Fash, and everyone else. It's where I hunted for others. Where the Old Man and the others taught me all the skills I possess now. Where I fell in love.

As hard as it was living in district twelve, I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

I take a glance at everyone in the hovercraft. They all look at me due to my movement. It's as if they're waiting for something. For me to do something. Anything. All I do is look at every single one of them; quickly scanning their faces before I return to my previous position.

There's also one other reason I haven't really reacted to the bombing.

I'm too exhausted to react.

When I was pulled out of the Games, I was near death. My abdomen had been torn into by that wooden fragment from the detonating tree. My arm was torn into as well, my shoulder was open, and my concussion had yet to heal. If the doctors hadn't of been there, I wouldn't be here now. Now add those barely healed injuries with a few new ones from the hovercraft crash, and the torture those bastard Capitol doctors put me through for a week, and you have a young man who's physically and mentally drained. I felt like passing out, but that's not a good thing to do at the moment. Not with moral this low.

"We're here." The pilot says.

"Where is here?" I ask.

"District eleven. We made it our base of operations." Peeta replies. "They'll have a wheelchair waiting for-"

"Oh, no no no." I wiggle my finger. "I'll walk to the medical wing. Don't need no damn chair."

"Come on Alto! Look at you! You can barely stand as it is!"

"And I'm walking."

"What are you trying to prove?"

"What I'm trying to prove is that I'm strong. Not just for me, but for others as well. I am the Phoenix; one symbol of the Revolution. I just went through hell and back. I went through the Games and straight into a war. I watched my home disappear in an instant. And do you know what I feel? I feel that I can't let the bastards who did this stay in power. I'm doing this to show all of you, that no matter what horrors the Capitol throws at me, I won't stay down. I won't stop until we win this war, even if it takes the entirety of my life to do so. They can go ahead and drop as many nukes as they want, but as long as one man, women, or child survives this war, it was worth it. That all the hardships and sacrifice that we went through are not in vain. I'm fighting for my freedom, for your freedom, and for this nation's' freedom."

The soldiers are all looking at me in stunned silence. Pliny, Peeta, and Finnick also among them. I feel the lurch of the hovercraft as it lands, and the ramp opens, showering us in light.

"I've fought my whole life. Nothing's going to change that now."

I take a step off the ramp.

The first thing I register is that we're in a hanger. It's one empty of aircraft, but full of Free Panem soldiers. Just like the ones in the hovercraft, they all stare at me. They're all shocked to see me. Just like the others, they thought I had died in the hovercraft crash. On the right side of the hovercraft are multiple medical personnel, ready to take our injured to the medical wing. One small group of two come towards me, wheelchair in toe.

"I won't be needing that. I'll walk. Just need the directions." I tell them.

"Same here." Finnick appears right behind me, startling me. I look back at him, not exactly expecting him do the same.

"I need to keep what little dignity I have left. You carrying me out was degrading enough." He replies casually.

"Right." I'm skeptical, but I give a smirk.

The medical personnel don't like it, judging by their faces, but otherwise back off, though one young man motions for us to follow him to the medical wing. The others attend to the injured on the hovercraft.

Finnick and I walk behind the man, back straight, giving off the aura that we could take on anything the world could throw at us and give it back just as good. Truth was though was that I was ready to fall and sleep. I'm so exhausted. My whole body wants to shake. It's screaming at me for not taking that wheelchair. But like I said before, I need to show them that the Capitol can't put me down. As for Finnick, I'm sure he's tired too, though to the same degree is unknown.

I don't look around, but I can hear the soldiers. I can't make out much, but "Phoenix" and "alive" are a few words I pick up. It started out as hushed whispers when I first exited the hovercraft, but they've gotten louder.

And then the unexpected, but very welcomed reaction.

I hear a high pitched whistle which lasts a few seconds. Then one name.

"Phoenix!"

It seemed that the crowd was waiting for someone to do just that, because not a second later, the entire hangar is full of cheers and whistles. I actually stopped and looked around in shock. I can see the smiles on people's faces, see them pump a fist into the air, see them clap. And one thing that I needed to see.

Hope.

Hope that things could get better.

I can't stop the massive smile that makes it onto my face. So I give them a sloppy two finger salute, one eye closed, and again to my amazement and satisfaction, they return it with an official one.

"Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix!" Is all I hear, even after we've left the hanger and a large door blocks us, we can hear the muffled cheers.

"Wow..." Is all I can say.

Finnick gives a shuddered breath. "I really needed to see that."

"I just plain needed that." I reply, a small smile on my lips.

"Alto!"

Before I have a chance to place the voice with a name, I'm immediately pulled into a tight embrace by an individual of the female persuasion. Unfortunately for me, the embrace does nothing but remind me of all the injures my body's been through. I give a yelp of pain.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Mom!?"

She looks okay, nothing bandaged or anything, so that makes me a little more calm. She has tears streaming down her face though.

"You're okay." She embraces me again, much more gently than before, and I return it.

"Alive, but not okay."

"What?" She pulls away to look at me.

"I'm slowly dying for rest right now." I look at everyone in the room. "You guys mind if I go to sleep?"

My legs give out, but my mom catches me. The medical man moves to help her, the they both take right and left, helping me to the medical wing.

"Thanks guys."

"Just go to sleep Alto. You'd feel better when you wake up." My mom says.

_'No. I'll never feel better. Not after what I went through.'_

I'm so tired at the moment though, that I allow myself to believe her. So I fall into a blissful slumber. One I've needed since the beginning of the Games.


	4. Chapter 4

**Don't own Hunger Games.**

* * *

"How long till he recovers?"

"Three weeks physically. He never received adequate treatment when in captivity. That allowed the wounds to fester. He's lucky he was only there a week. Any longer and he might have lost an arm, might have even died. That and he needs rest. They probably kept him awake as part of the torture."

"You said physically. What do you mean by that?"

"Whatever they did to him in there...I don't know. There's something in his blood. I've yet to find what it is. All I know that it's a hallucinogen of some sort. He was full of it. And it's potent. He probably thought that he was being tortured by demons the entire time."

"Oh, god."

"Ma'am-"

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down! How can I?! That's my son that went through all that! For all we know, he may be afraid of his own shadow now!"

...

"Do we know what they did to him?"

"Physical torture seemed to be simple beatings with some knife wounds on his arms. They weren't trying to kill him, only prep him."

"For what?"

"Possibly for higher doses of the hallucinogen. I have some people looking through Capitol records to see if we can't find what they were trying to do."

"Uhhhhh..."

"Alto?"

I shift, enough to tell them that I'm awake. I have trouble opening my eyes; they feel like someone welded them shut and added a hundred pounds to them. I hear them walk to my bed, and after a good three minutes pass, I finally get my eyes open.

"Christ alive... Uh...Anyone-" I swallow, but my mouth is dry. "Anyone here?"

"I'm here Alto." That's my mom. She's to my right while a doctor takes the left side of the bed. Haven't seen him before.

"C-can...can I have some water?" It feels like I just ate pure cinnamon.

Mom's quick to fetch the water. Within a few seconds she brings a cup to my lips. As I feel the cool liquid flow down my throat, I don't notice that I've shifted forward slightly, my shaking hands grasping the cup as I empty its contents.

"More please."

As my mom gets me more water I take a really good look at her. Like I said before, she has no bandages that I can see; doesn't seem injured in anyway. She's wearing a simple red shirt and some worn jeans. Her hair and skin aren't dirty, meaning she hasn't been out fighting, though that's fine by me. But she has a small bruise on the right side of her neck.

"Question." I say as I look at my mom.

"Anything Alto."

"How did...you get out of two?" I'm surprised she's even alive after what's happened.

"Just before the Games began. Free Panem came for me. I thought I was being arrested at first." She said with a small laugh.

"From what the soldiers told me, she was ready to fight back with a knife. We had to sedate her to get her on the hovercraft."

"Did she hurt anyone?" That explains it.

"Scared the hell out of a few men, but no." The doctor smiled.

I give a small laugh of my own, but stop when my ribs protest. I rub them gently while eyeing the doctor. "Finnick?"

"Sleeping." He motioned to the bed a few feet from mine. Finnick's on in, in a similar state as I am, but he's snoring loudly.

"Sleeping like the dead. Uh, I could do the same thing right about now." I look at my mom. "Is, um, anyone I know here?"

"A majority of the shelter occupants made it out."

"Just like Peeta said. But the Old Man's dead. Were you able to get anyone out of the Capitol?"

"Only one person." The doctor says. "Everyone's waiting outside for you to wake. Should I let them in?"

"What kind of question is that?" I smirk.

The doctor smiles in response and motions at the door. With his hand he waves it in a way that says "come here." So the door opens, and the visitors come pouring in.

"Prim?" She's the first to my bed. He hops on and embraces me. She knows I'm injured so she does so very carefully.

"I thought District Thirteen picked you up."

"Free Pamen got to us first." Her mother replies for her.

"Peeta! Nlron!" Peeta's still in his military garb while Nlron is wearing his everyday clothes, though his arm's in a cast.

"The hell happened to you?"

"Really? You're asking me that? If anything, the hell happened to you?" He points to me.

"I dived head on into hell. Got back out but screwed me over in the process." I shake my head, but grab it after as a dull pain awakens. When Madge enters I release a sigh of relief. "It's good to see you're okay Madge."

"I could say the same to you, though you've seen better days." She smiles and nods her head.

"Hell of a lot better then I was a day ago." I wink at her playfully. She gives a small laugh, and Peeta frowns a little.

"Hey."

"Oh please Malark. If I wanted her, I'd already have her."

"Oh god. Here we go."

"No, I'll save that for another time. So why isn't everyone else here?"

"You think they can all fit in this room?"

I glance around for a moment. "Uh...no?"

"Idiot." Everyone but the doctor seems to say.

"Oh!" I bring my hands to my heart. "You wound me with your cruel, cruel words."

"He's just woken up and he's already like this."

"Some things just don't change Peeta."

"A-Alto?"

My breathing stops at the small voice I hear at the door. It's a voice I'd recognize anywhere, but it seems so impossible that it could be her that I don't react immediately. Everyone eyed me curiously, then eyed the newcomer, just as I do.

She's not wearing her elaborate clothes anymore, wearing a simple white t-shirt and pants. Her hair's undone, nearly reaching the ground. Her pale skin is painted with black and blue swirls, as well as some bandages on her arms and under the shirt. She didn't come out worse for wear then I thought anyone could.

"S...Salaya?"

It's not even a thought of what I do next; it's an action. My body moves on its own. I literally jump from the bed, pulling out my IV out of my arm, which I don't feel. My legs refuse to support me since I fall face first to the ground. Everyone crowds me at that moment. I don't pay any mind to them as I force my weak body to do as I want it, getting to my feet quickly while grabbing the bed for support. Salaya's closer now, having seen me fall, and I'm able to close the distance by using what I had that now passed as strength to push myself off the bed and into her. My arms wrap themselves around her as she does the same, and she's suddenly supporting most of my weight.

"Y-you're alive! You're alive!"

She doesn't respond, somehow knowing that I may need the counseling that she's here in my arms and not some figment of my imagination.

"W-w-when the peacekeepers dragged y-you out of the room, I-I-I thought you were-" I can't finish. My eyes are already spilling tears.

"It's okay Alto."

"Just give me a minute." I'm still not convinced she's really here. I had it through my mind that I would never see her again, that the Capitol would torture her or kill her. Not that she'd be here in the flesh.

I suddenly recall my prep team. "Portia? The others?" I look at her. She gives a small shake of her head.

Dead.

"They killed them when they got to you, didn't they?" I ask.

"Yes." She replies simply.

"Did they get Cinna too?"

"He's dead. Katniss's prep team vanished shortly after."

"Probably thirteen."

"Okay, that's enough. You need your rest Alto." Salaya gets her arms around my waist and lifts me off my feet. I give a small yelp of surprise and have to grab her shoulders to keep from falling. She then carries me back to my bed.

"Well this is degrading." I say dejectedly as she places me down. I can see everyone in the room roll their eyes.

"Only you Alto." Mom says as she throws the covers over me. The doctor goes ahead and puts my IV back in. He turns to the others. "Okay everyone. Let Alto rest. He needs to heal." Everyone gets the memo and funnel out of the room, wishing me a quick recovery. The only one left in the room is the doctor.

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Is it natural to have the urge to run from my friends?"

...

"Can you answer a few questions about the torture you went through?"

I can't stop the chill that travels up my spine. That week... I don't... I can't...won't...

"Um." You can hear how uneasy I am. "D-do we have to do that now?"

"You'll have to do it eventually, but I can see that you're not ready yet. I won't push you. But I need you to answer me when I ask this."

I give him an uneasy look. "And that would be?"

"Do you know what they were giving you? To make you hallucinate?"

I visibly relax. It's very easy to answer this question, since the doctors nearly shouted it to the top of their lungs when they first started the torture.

"Tracker Jacker venom."

* * *

"I don't think we've met before."

Salaya looked up, her gaze resting on the brown haired women before her, and she could assume who this was.

"We haven't. I'm Salaya. I...use to be part of Alto's prep team." She motioned to to her. "You're his mother?"

The women laughed slightly, nodding. "Lilia. What gave it away?"

"He's talked about you. A lot."

She smiled. "Really?"

"Sometimes he couldn't stop."

Both women laughed, but sobered quickly, their minds wandering to the boy that was currently recovering from his injuries.

"He's told me about you too. Told me how you supported him through everything."

"He's helped me too. Through things I've always kept buried. He means a lot to me. Like a son if I'm so bold."

...

"How is he?"

Lilia's lips turned to a frown. "Obvious signs of torture. His injures from the Games could have cost him his life if he was there for another few days. But..."

"But?" Salaya almost didn't want to know.

"When I asked the doctor about his condition he said that they had flushed a chemical out of his system. A hallucinogen he said, that he was full of during the torture. For all he knew, he was being tortured by demons in the eighth ring of hell."

"Oh my god." Salaya cover her mouth. Lilia nodded in agreement, her lips quivering slightly.

"They'll probably ask him if he knew what they used on him, and look into what they were trying to do specifically." She wiped one of her eyes quickly. "I don't like what they did to my son. What they've done to him since the 74th Hunger Games. When he was out, I could hear him talking in his sleep. Some of the things I heard..." She needn't say more. They both knew what he was reliving.

"Rue... Fash... Mags... Cato... Brutus... Only names."

They both stood there silently, praying that the boy they cared for dearly could make it through this.

* * *

"Tracker Jacker venom?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I was under it's influence most of the time. Maybe a minute I was venom free, but for the rest of the day I'd be filled with it."

"And what did they do to you?"

"What do you think?" I say defensively. The doctor raised his hands to signal that he wouldn't broach that topic yet. I took a deep breath.

"Sorry doc."

"No need to apologize. I shouldn't have asked. Like I said before, we'll leave you be, but sooner or later you'll have to speak about the experience to someone."

"Got it. So, uh, how long till I can stand?"

"Three weeks."

"Three weeks!?" I'm dismayed. "I can't stay in this bed for three weeks! What the hell am I supposed to do for three damn weeks!?"

"Sleep would help."

"Even with all the fucking nightmares I have, right?" I growl. "I hate sleeping. I always see their faces. Every. Damn. One. How could anyone sleep through that?" I look at him. "Could you?"

"I wouldn't know."

"But say you went through what I did. Could you?"

"Truth be told?" The doctor looked at me. "I couldn't. Not without my wife."

"Married?"

"And a father of two children. A little younger then you are."

I smile a little. "Just another thing to live for."

"And you still have more than a few." The doctor pointed out.

I nod as I look at the door my friends and family just walked out of. "Yeah. I do."

"Okay." He says as he injects a liquid into my IV. "I've given you some more painkillers, so you may feel drowsy in a moment. I know that you don't want to sleep but sleep is the best thing to do now. When you wake next we'll feed you."

"Um. As embarrassed as I am asking, can someone be here before I wake up? Anyone?" I ask while looking at my feet. I feel like a damn child for what I'm asking.

"Sure. Get some sleep son." He pats my back gently before leaving the room.

My eyes are dropping a few minutes later, and my body starts to get heavy again. I make myself comfortable, sinking into the bed as I turn my head to the right, spotting a clock on the desk.

_2:53 AM_

"Morning Katniss."

I fall into a long, nightmare filled slumber.

* * *

"Guys?"

"Yeah?" Alto's group of friends turn to look at Madge.

"Did you notice anything...different? To how Alto looked at us?"

They all remained silent. They'd all be lying if they said they hadn't. It would be difficult for anyone else to notice it, but they'd been around Alto long enough to see things.

"He looked...scared...of us." Madge sounded like she was going to cry, but no tears were present.

"What the fuck did they do to him in there?" Nlron's functioning hand became a fist.

"Something no one should go through."


	5. Chapter 5

**Don't own Hunger Games.**

* * *

_Rue's rolled to her side, her body curved around the spear. I'm already to her, holding her in my arms, and I already know it's over for her._

_"Why did you let me die?" Rue asks me. "I trusted you. Why didn't you protect me? Why did you abandon me?"_

_I wanted to say that I was sorry, that I tried, but when I move my lips only silence is given. So all I can do is stare._

_"You left me. You let me die. You get banquets and dinners and awards and one of the biggest houses in District 12 and more money than any five merchants and it's all because you let me die. You let me die. You let me die. You let me die. You let me die…"_

_And suddenly I'm no longer staring at Rue. Now I'm staring at the mutts I know too well. But there's something different about this Nazo. _

_It's the eyes. They're brown. Rue's eyes._

_I try crawling backwards to get away, but my back hits something. I look up to find a girl about my age standing behind me. He eyes are devoid of color, and her chest had a single gash right over her heart, with blood drenching her shirt._

_"Why didn't you help me?" She asks in a pained voice. "You helped her. Why couldn't you save me?"_

_My lips still can't form words, but I back away from her, shaking my head violently. I turn to take to a run when another girl stops me. I'd recognize the blond hair and blue eyes anywhere. Her body was badly burned, with massive gashes in her abdomen, blood all over her and coming from her mouth._

_"Why couldn't you save your sister? Your sister who cared for you? Why?" Fash says._

_More people show; Marvel, Cato, Clove, Glimmer, district nine boy, distinct four boy, Foxface, Brutes, all of them. All twelve people I had killed on the Games and the countless others I watched die, with all the wounds they died with on their bodies. They all say one thing._

_**"You let me die."**_

_And they all charged me._

* * *

**"NOOOOO!"**

I scream as I shoot up and feel a numb pain in my stomach. I give another scream after I'm done with my first, my hands now on my face covering my eyes. I hold it out until my lungs are empty and take deep breaths to replenish my oxygen. I quickly scan the area but find nothing but blurriness. I can't see anything.

A hand grabs my shoulder.

My left hand grabs the arm while my other shoot straight at where I assume a face to be. I'm rewarded with a crack and my hand making solid contact on the person's nose. I don't waste more time as I leap at him, forcing him to the ground. I raise my fist again and slam it into his face a second time.

I do nothing but roar, too occupied by this threat to think coherently. I can hear my victim try and speak, but punches always cut him off.

I feel three pairs of arms wrap around me and try and pry me off the man. I fight back with everything I have, trying to stay put while throwing a punch in when I can. I'm only able to throw four more when two more pairs join and finally pry me off him and force me into a bed.

I'm shouting unintelligible words now, kicking and punching and flailing about to get out of their grasps. I hear them speak but can't understand anything they say. It comes out as some sort of loud mumbles.

"Alto, calm down!"

My struggling ceases immediately as I recognize the voice. My eyes are wide with question, and the person has a hold of my face, but it's so much more gentle than the others. I try rubbing my eyes but find that they are still holding me down, so my arms are immobile. I hear her whisper something to them and feel two pairs reposition themselves onto my chest, freeing my arms. I go ahead and rub my eyes of their blurriness and get a good look at her.

"Did...did I just attack...someone..." It comes out like I already know what I did.

Mom doesn't answer me, which tells me enough. I glance at the new faces; all are soldiers it seems, with Peeta in the mix, his hands pressed onto my chest. I spot the doctor I had attacked, standing with the help of the original doctor, wiping his face of the blood that covered it. My own fists are covered in his blood.

"Restrain me when I sleep."

They all look at me, but my mom and Peeta seem more confused on it. "What?"

"I said restrain me. When I sleep, tie me up as tight as you can so this doesn't happen. If it scares the hell out of me I'll deal with it. I can't keep doing this to someone every time I wake up."

The soldiers take this that I've regained my senses and release me. When they do I sit up and look at the bloodied doctor.

"Shit." I rub my eyes. "Um, sorry. About that." I say a bit awkwardly.

He nods as if it was nothing, like all I had done was spill water on the ground like a child. And to a degree this angers me. How could he be okay with what I just pulled? If these soldiers hadn't stopped me I would have killed him, no doubt about it. Maybe even go after the others in here.

"All of you." The main doctor gets the soldier's attention. "Not a word to anyone of this. Understand?" They all nod before taking their leave, though Peeta keeps to his position.

"Alto. I'm not going to restrain you while you're sleeping."

"Why not?" I ask calmly.

"Because if you wake, you may think you're back in captivity. That-"

That's enough to send me into a panic.

"No!" My face clearly shows the fear I have at waking inside that room again. "I can't go through that again! Not after what they fucking did to me!" I've lost the ability to think coherently again, only this time it's more self preservation and never going through that scenario again. "I can't go through that again, okay?! I can't do it. I can't do it. Ican'tdoit, Ican'tdoit, Ican'tdoit..."

I've brought my knees into my chest, my arms wrapped around my legs, knees covering everything below my nose as I stare blankly before me, repeating those four words. My whole body trembles and I can vaguely feel the tears fall from my eyes. And before me, for only my eyes, I go through what I had went through in that damned building. The painful, burning injections, the beasts and demons that toyed with me everyday. The images of...

Something jabs my neck, and my body instantly relaxes. My body goes limp but I still have some control over it. Now lying down, I have enough control to bring my arms around my head, but even with the injection, I'm still trembling, still repeating those four words.

_I can't do it. _

"Alto." I hear the doctor. "Alto, you need to calm down." His words fall on deaf ears. Because how can he know what I've been through?

"Alto, honey, you need to calm down. Please." My mom sounds like she's about to cry. That gives me enough motivation to stop speaking, but I don't move.

I guess they take this as a good sign. They stop speaking but I can feel their presence. I think they're just staring at me.

"Just go." I mumble. "I need to be alone."

My mom protests. "I don't think being alone is-"

"Just go! Leave me alone goddamn it!" My mom's absolutely right; I shouldn't be alone in my current state. But I don't know what else to do. I feel like I should just lock myself in this room so I don't kill anyone. So that I can somehow sort out all these things.

...

...

"O-okay." She replies quietly, and at this point I feel like scum for screaming at her. "We'll be just outside."

I hear three pairs of feet tap for a few second before the sound of a door closing signifies they're gone.

And I start crying.

"What's wrong with me?" I whimper. "Why am I like this? Why am I always a target for someone? Why did I have to go through all this? Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Why me?! Why did this happen to me?! It's all because of those fucking Games! And those piece of shit Gamemakers! And that fucker Snow! Goddam it! I should have died in the arena! I should have died instead of Rue! Instead of Fash! I should have died in that fucking arena! Not them, me! Fucking me! **Me! Me! Me! Me!"**

I have no more words, but my wails of sadness and pain tell enough of what I was saying.

I should have died.

And to an extent...

I _wanted_ to die.

* * *

"This is so much worse than I thought."

The doctor said quietly as he watched Alto through the one way mirror. He was expecting something like this to happen, but not so soon. Not within the same day he was rescued.

Lilia was present, one hand over her mouth, tears running down her face. She had heard everything Alto had said. They all had. It tore at her that her son was going through this; so much pain, lose, and nightmares.

Many of Alto's main friends were present, and they could do nothing but watch as the boy they cared about kept screaming.

"Jesus." Nlron looked on.

"Can...he even recover?" Madge was the one to ask. She, and practically everyone else couldn't see anyone recovering though this.

"He can." The doctor answered instantly. "But it's going to take time. PTSD takes years to recover from, and even then you never _really_ recover. Alto...has many demons to face right now. A lot of guilt to fight. He won't start healing until he starts opening up about it, until he learns to live with those experiences. All we can do is support him in any way we can, shape or form." He turned to face them. "All of you should go to bed. All of you have seen a lot lately. I'll watch him."

They all looked ready to protest, but his words stopped them. They couldn't help Alto if disregarded themselves. That would only make him hate himself even more. So with no word, they all slowly departed.

Salaya had an arm around Lilia, who hadn't removed her hand from her mouth. She guided them to the room they were sharing, and when they finally reached it and closed the door behind them, Salaya give her a worried glance.

"Lilia?"

"You know..." The mother began. "It...h-hurts. Watching my own son...s-suffer the way h-he is. He's been through so m-much. More than any human being s-should experience. A-and it's k-killing him...and no matter w-what I do...no matter how h-hard I try...I-I can't help him. I can't take away the p-pain. All I can do is stand there as my son slowly dies in front of m-m-me..."

Salaya couldn't take this anymore. She wrapped her arms around the women. Lilia didn't respond for a time, but Salaya could feel her trembling become more pronounced as she embraced back. Her head was buried into Salaya's shoulder as she silently wept. And Salaya joined her.

Because she knew exactly how Lilia felt.

* * *

**Two Hours Later**

"Breath in, breath out."

The doctor glanced at me, eyes questioning. I don't answer.

"Breath in, breath out. Drawback the string, the arrow. Tension, feels good, familiar, natural. A breeze, gentle snowfall, it lifts its head, catches a scent. Mine. Held breath, one glance, released...and he's down. Can't stop, seven more hours. More mouths to feed, stomachs to fill. Tired, but must keep going."

"A memory." He states.

I nod. "My...friend...a healer, gave me this treatment. Sometimes...I forget and I'm back in the Games. Something else for that. For the depression, remember old memories, nice ones, describe them by word, every feeling. It helps. Keeps me from doing...something I may regret."

I can't see his reaction. "Alto. How are we going to fix your sleeping arrangements?"

"When I sleep, everyone needs to leave the room. Lock me in here alone. When I wake I may be afraid, but I'll recognize the room soon enough, and I won't kill anyone in a blind rage. Does...does that work?"

"That'll be just fine." He nods as he turns and brings a tray before him. He places in on my lap.

"This is...lunch? But it's so small." I whine.

"You already know why we do it like this."

"Yeah, yeah." It's some kind of soup, with crackers and a glass of water. Basic stuff.

"When you're done, just call one of us and we'll take the tray. When you're ready to sleep, just let us know and we'll leave the room." The doctor says before turning and leaving.

I look at the food before me, noting my reflection on the soup. It's not clear, but it's enough to see that I don't look so good. Better than before, but I still have a ways before I can heal and such.

I look at the ground to my left, at the spot they had to clean because of the blood from the doctor's face that I attacked.

"Be strong for everyone." I say to myself. "And the first thing I think of is wanting to die, blaming myself for every little thing that happened in those arenas."

This isn't what I should be thinking. Wanting to die or the other thing. I need to be level headed, focus on healing so I can fight, focus on clearing my head so I can do what I promised I'd do for people. I can't let this guilt get to me. I know it's irrational guilt, some of it, since I had no control over some of the events that transpired, while others are of my fault. But I can't think that now. Rue...Mags...Fash...they all died, sacrificed themselves for others, including me. If I break down, let this stuff get to me, then I fail them.

I can't let that happen.

I have to be strong.

For _everyone_.


	6. Chapter 6

**Don't own Hunger Games.**

* * *

The next few weeks are long, at least to me. I don't bother trying to exert myself since I want out of this bed, so I do everything the doctor wants me to. Sleeping isn't something I like doing, but I brace through it. Some nights are worse than others, but I'm starting to learn when I've awakened and when I'm still dreaming. I haven't attacked anyone since the first day thankfully.

My friends and family keep me company often, distracting me by giving be tidbits of what happened when I was pulled from the Games, maybe play a card game, info about how the war's going, and just talking about random things. One conversation moved from food, to alcohol, to sketching, and stopped at funny stories of my mom's life.

I haven't had another episode since the first day, for which I'm grateful for. I'm still depressed in a way, but it's a lot less now. Which brings me to the war.

For one reason or another, it's stopped. Ever since Twelve was bombed, the fighting has come to a complete halt. No reason is given for why, but the most logical conclusion for me it that they're trying to cement their hold on their territory, and gather solutions for reorganizing their forces after losing a decent amount of soldiers in Twelve.

Kind of had a feeling that would bite them in the ass.

All that aside, I need to talk to Nlron. He hasn't come to see me as much as I would expect, only about four times. He looks down in the dumps when he sees me, and I know the exact reason why.

It probably hurts to look at a person who reminds him of Fash.

I was shocked, to say the least when she told me about Nlron and herself. Never in a million years would I have thought they would have something like that with each other. Fash always chasited Nlron for his dirty comments and his sometimes idiotic nature. He criticized her for being too much of a daredevil and risk taker. They always made smart remarks at one another.

And then I find out she's been with him at least for a few months. Likely longer since she wouldn't have sex with anyone unless she trusted them wholeheartedly and truly did care for them like that. How did I not notice anything? Unless all those smart remarks was their way of saying _'I love you.' _

To say nothing that she was pregnant...

I don't think he knows that.

I need to talk to him.

Thankfully, I can do that now. Because of my careful nature these past few weeks, I've healed a little sooner than expected, so they allow me to walk. I can't walk alone though; my mom or Salaya are always present when I do, and I have a cane to use. Joy, another one. But still, happy that I'm out of bed, even if I couldn't exactly stand for a long time.

I was wearing actual clothes today. Just a simple black t-shirt and sweats with slippers, black cane in hand, my mom following close behind. I've no idea where Nlron would be, so I decide to find Peeta. He may not even be able to speak with me though since I don't know if he's even here or not since he's a soldier now.

I wander about the white halls, passing other doctors and patients. Most give me nods and smiles, which I return.

Many of the patients here are soldiers who have been wounded. I notice some are missing body part; arms, legs, or just chunks. The wounds have been tended to very well though, given we don't have the facilities that the Capitol has. Many of these men and women will fight again, though any who are missing limbs are out of the fight. In terms of actual fighting anyway.

Peeta is still here, though he's also in the hospital for a wound. Not really too bad compared to some of these guys.

"The hell happened to you? You look like you crawled through barb wire." I ask him. He's shirtless, a doctor directly behind him, using twisters on his back.

"Ah, small skirmish with the Capitol. Took out a hovercraft that was on the ground. I was close enough to take some shrapnel. Ow!" He takes a quick glance back before looking at me again.

"And I see you're still a wuss when it comes to pain." I smirk.

"Give me some credit though. I took it like a pro before the adrenaline ran out. Not everyone can be a damage sponge like you."

"Sure they can. Just ignore it."

"Ignore it?" He says skeptically. He frowns afterwards and sarcastically remarks. "That's easy."

I chuckle and shake my head. I stop quickly though when I remember why I came to find him.

"Peeta, do you know where Nlron is?"

Peeta sobers up quickly, and I just catch the pain in his eyes before he hides it. The sadness on his face doesn't disappear though. "He's in his room. D-12A. Been there for awhile."

"Thanks." I reply as I began walking. But Peeta's not done.

"Alto?"

I pause. "Yes?"

"Just be careful around him. He hasn't been himself after...everything."

"Okay."

It's slow going walking out of the hospital and into the barracks. Now the barracks were simply rooms in the building for the people that now lived here; either refugees or soldiers currently stationed here. Each unit held a family or a group of eight. All it was is beds, with a dresser or two for clothes. Food was served at the mess hall that was in another building entirely, while bathrooms were just outside.

It was a few minutes before we found room D-12A. My only guess as to why they would name it after our district is to keep tabs on us. I turn to my mom. "Can you just stay out here? This is something I need to tell him alone."

"Of course." She states simply as she takes a step and stands next to the door.

Breath in...

Breath out...

I give the door three solid knocks.

...

...

"Nlron?" I knock again.

...

"Nlron? Please, open up." I knock again.

...

_'Click'_

I hear the door unlock, but he doesn't open it himself. I stand there for a few seconds to be sure before turning the knob and entering the room, gently closing the door behind me.

The room is bland, no surprise there. The walls are bare, a dull cement grey. Seven beds occupy the room, four against the right wall while three are on the left, with two dressers against the back wall. All the bed's sheets are thrown about, their occupants having not bothered to fix it. And on the farthest bed is Nlron.

He doesn't look at me, simply stares down at the ground. He knows why I'm here and isn't looking forward to it. He may not even want to hear it considering all things.

"Hey Alto." He states simply.

"Hey." I reply just as simply.

...

...

"Nlron," I start. "I came here to-"

"Just shut up Alto." He says.

I expected this.

"We need to talk about this Nlron."

"We don't need to talk about anything." He sound a little angry.

"Really? So is their another reason you're just sitting here by yourself in this room?"

"Shut up Alto."

I breath out through my nose. "Nlron, this isn't healthy. And she wouldn't want you to-"

"And how would you know what she wouldn't want?" He raises his voice.

I'm trying not to sound angry. "Nlron, you need to remember that she was my friend. Like a sister to me. I know her well enough that I know she wouldn't want anyone mourning her."

"That she'd want us to be happy and remember the good times we spent together? That she's in a better place?" Nlron says sarcastically. "Unlike you, I don't believe in that religious crap."

I groan lightly. "Nlron, I'm trying to help you."

He finally stands. "I think you've done plenty of that already, thank you."

"What's that suppose to mean?" I know very well what he's implying.

"What do you think?" He's in front of me now.

"I'm not responsible for what happened in there."

To tell you the truth, I was expecting our conversation to come to this. It was always a way for him to cope, to release his anger.

I only have enough time to see a flash of anger on his face before my own found a fist into it's right cheek. Even knowing that he was going to hit me, I didn't defend myself. Unfortunately, since I'm still getting use to walking again, I can't keep my balance, and fall against the door hard.

He's not done since he tackles me. We actually bust the door open, scareing the hell out of my mom and anyone who was nearby.

"Stay out of this!" I scream aloud. No one needed to stop this.

We rolled a few times, Nlron trying to get another hit on me, but I'm not letting him. My legs may have trouble keeping me up, but my upper body is still in fairly good shape. The first one was free, the others he'll have to work for.

"_You're_ not responsible!?" He yells, pinning me to the ground, throwing another fist. I simply grab the fist and hold onto it. I'm not trying to fight him. "They why did she end up in there!?"

"She volunteered!"

"Because they picked Madge! Someone close to Katniss! She died in there because of you!" He throws another fist with his free hand, and I do the same as I did before. "If you hadn't of pulled those damn barriers in your Games, she wouldn't have died! She'd still be here!"

I don't respond. Saying anything might make him even more angry. That and I kind of don't see any way to respond to it.

"She'd still be alive! She'd still be here! The Old Man wouldn't have died! This damn war would have never started and torn this country apart!"

"This war would have happened with or without me!" I shout back. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen Nlron! We were desperate in my Games and that's when the berries were pulled! Do you think I expected the Capitol to target Katniss and myself? No! I just wanted to go home!"

"Thanks to you, home doesn't exist anymore!"

I toss him to my left, and he lands painfully. I pick myself up to a sitting position, but stare at nothing but the ground.

"I know that Nlron... I know that... it burned, along with everything else in that district that I loved." My voice strains. "And all I could do was _watch_. The Old Man's gone. Fash is gone. Rue is gone. All of them... They're dead because of me."

I look up at him, sad eyes staring into his. "I want to help you Nlron. You're my friend, and right now you're suffering. I won't pretend I know how it feels to lose someone so close to you, but you need to remember that she was my sister. If you don't want to even look at me, I understand. But at least let me say what _she_ wanted me to tell you."

Nlron's attention is immediately given to me. I stare back at the ground, breathing shaky and eyes starting to sting.

"She said...she loves you...and that she's sorry about everything...especially..."

"...t-the baby..."

I hear his sharp exhale at the last word, and I look back up to him. His eyes are wide, staring at me like I had risen from the grave. He stares at me like that for a good half minute before his face takes on the most painful of looks. His eyes hold tears, but they soon fall down his face as he looks at his limp hands.

"T-t-the baby?" He whispers in a pained wheeze. "T-the b-baby... O-oh god, the b-b-baby..."

He gives a low moan, something like a wounded animal would give. Even with my weak legs, I make it to his sitting form quickly and wrap my arms around him, his own wrapping around me in response.

"I'm s-so sorry... I'm so sorry..." Tears flow freely from my eyes as well, because Nlron isn't too far from fact. Had we not pulled those berries, Fash would still be here.

A lot of people would still be here.

* * *

"They've cemented their hold on D-1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 10. They've been gathering forces however. We've found small probing forces on the outskirts of nine and eleven."

"Testing our strength are they." The older man rubbed his chin. "I want all districts on high alert. We don't know what they'll do next. Best be ready for anything."

"You think they'll bomb again?" One soldier asked.

The commander shook his head. "No. They might want to, but they need these districts. Twelve was an accident; they were too occupied trying to kill one man to remember that they used that coal too. They have other means to obtain energy, but it'll only last them so long. I doubt they have much in coal reserves since they never expected this would happen. We just have to push them, make them use more energy than they can sustain."

"What's the next course of action sir?"

"We need a foothold in two. If we can take the district from the Capitol, we effectively destabilize their military. But the force in seven is too small to take it alone. We have to get through D-10 first."

"They've made that district a fortress. Using it as a buffer to protect their districts and the Capitol itself. Taking it is going to cost many lives."

"Such is war. That's our best bet. If we don't go through with it, this war will last much longer, and even more lives will be lost. But we won't undertake this operation until the Capitol makes it's move. I want more forces in nine and eleven."

"Yes sir."

The commander glanced at a second soldier. "How's the _Phoenix_?"

"From what I've heard, happy to start walking again. Doctors say he'll be back a hundred percent in another week or two. He seems eager."

"By your tone, you don't like it."

"When he recovers, he'll be joining the army."

The commander looked at the table before him. "Eager to fight? That's not like him. He of all people should know what fighting out there is... Oh, I see."

"Sir?"

"It's his nature it seems. He knows he's a symbol, something that can inspire, and knowing a man who fought tooth and nail to protect those he cared for, he doesn't want to sit around in the safety of the district while his loved ones are fighting." He shook his head. "Crazy bastard. I'd like to meet him."

"Now sir?"

"No, give him time." He looked again at the projection of Panem, contemplating.

"It'd be nice to finally met him."

* * *

"They want me to what now?"

"They want to make a promo. For the war effort."

I roll my eyes. "What war effort? In case you've forgotten, thirteen doesn't have a district in their grasp."

"And that's why they need the promo. To raise moral." Haymitch is irritable to begin with, but after coming to thirteen and having to go without liquor for a few weeks, he's downright unbearable.

"And how the hell do we do that? If it's something I have to say, it's not going to work. You know how bad I am at acting."

"It's not like we have much choice."

"Katniss, he's obviously not going to leave it alone until you do it. Might as well just get it out of the way." Flora says from behind me.

"Fine." I groan.

"Filming starts tomorrow. I get you when it's time." He simply waves at us before closing the door behind him.

"This is going to end so badly. They won't be able to air it because of how bad it is."

"You really think you're that bad?" Flora glances up from her book. "How'd you survive the Victory Tour?"

"Alto was the one that always had the right words. That was always enough. He could persuade almost anyone he talked to. I just tried not to act like I didn't loathed the situation. Or the people. Or anything really."

"Well...ah...good luck with that." She replied.

"Thanks." I glare at the wall.


	7. Chapter 7

**Don't own Hunger Games.**

* * *

"You want me to what?"

"I need you to get someone to give to a camera and air me on TV." I repeat.

"I know that. My question is why?" Peers asks.

"One: it gets annoying when everyone thinks I'm dead and ask me tons of questions because I'm not. Two: the country needs to know I'm still alive. Three: did you see that promo that thirteen aired yesterday? How do you think Panem feels after seeing that? I mean, no disrespect, but Katniss was never good at acting. Not without me there to help her."

"Yeah, I noticed." He scratches his head. "Hmm. I have a friend who's in our promo team. He can get you the equipment, but you'll have to convince them to let you do this. They're the ones who will approve of the message and let it pass through the air ways. Come on, follow me. Maybe you can convince them right now." He motions for me to follow, giving me a hand to stand before we make our way out of the room.

The halls are a heck of a lot more crowded today than normal. More soldiers than anything moving about, some in their armor, others in BDUs. Everyone was in a hurry to do what they needed to.

The reasoning for this was that the Capitol had launched an assault on district nine. After nearly four weeks of sitting and doing nothing, they decided to do something.

It didn't come as a surprise for us; we saw the build up from a mile away, mere days after twelve had been destroyed. From what I kept hearing from soldiers, they were going to pull something sooner or later, and we had massive amounts of troops in the districts bordering ten. We were pushed back a mile or so from what I recall, but we're holding ground and denying them more land. Not exactly what the Capitol wanted.

"Anything knew?" I ask.

"Nope. Same situation."

"Hopefully it stays that way."

We make our way out of the building into a massive field. Said field was acting as our base. Since district eleven was occupied by a massive amounts of peacekeepers, they had to build military bases around the district. The airfield here was the biggest in the district, and the third in the country only to one in district two and in the Capitol itself.

The noise was very prominent here. Hovercraft and aircraft alike were preparing for sorties or already on their way. Even those other flying machines, which I now know are called helicopters, where in the air, though most stayed near the district.

We enter the main building, a six story tower that could take direct hit from some sort of special bomb. What was it? Bunker something. Regardless, this was where most of the planning of the entire revolution was taking place. They don't allow civilians in the building, though I'm the exception. I mean, _Pheonix _anyone?

Everyone doesn't bother us a second glance. I've been in this building for the last week, so I'm not an uncommon sight.

We head straight down the hallway to the elevator, punching the button for the sixth floor, where the promo team headquarters was located.

We walked into the first room on the right, finding ourselves in a massive room that occupied half of the upper floor, with electronic equipment littering the room: cameras, film, canisters of some sort, green screens, multiple tvs, and this massive machine that they always used to edit and air the filmed promos.

It was filled with people, though no filming was taking place. They might of been getting ready to film something on the frontlines or are editing.

"Alto. I wasn't expecting you here."

The voice came from a woman who was currently watching over two people who were editing some footage from the recent fighting. Her hair was thick but short, black locks only reaching her shoulders. She was short, smaller than I was. The one thing that distinguished her was her very squeaky voice. It was so high pitched, you'd think it was a recording of an altered voice.

This was a friend of mine. One who last I saw was before my first Games, and whose expertise helped me blow up those supplies.

"You don't visit me anymore Thelin. I thought you loved me." I sound heartbroken.

"Oh, grow a pair would you?" She replies.

"That's mean. Don't talk to Peeta like that."

"Uhhh, my god." Said boy covers his eyes.

"Well, Peeta having a pair is besides the point. I came here to ask for your help."

"What is it?" She seems interested.

"I want to make a promo as soon as possible."

"Ah, I thought you'd never ask." She says with a sigh. "Command's been hammering me to get a promo out with you in it. Hopefully this will satisfy. Okay, take a seat in the other room. We'll have a prep team make you look nice and-"

"That's not exactly what I had in mind."

"What?" Thelin looks at me.

"All I need is a camera, someone who knows how to operate it, and some armor. I'm doing this real simple."

"What's the goal for the promo?"

"To let the country know I'm still alive. Let them know that there's still others fighting for them. I don't know how they feel exactly, but they may seem a little down after that promo from district thirteen." I reply.

"Preaching to the quire on that one." She rubs her chin. "Okay. You know what you're going to say?"

"I have a general idea. It's short, sweet, and simple. Let them know I'm alive. Let them know that the recent Capitol offensive was a bust. Tell them I'll be rejoining the fight soon, and maybe a little slogan in the end. It'll sound a lot nicer then thirteens."

I can't get over that.

_"People of Panem, we fight, we dare, we end our hunger for justice!"_

Really?

After months, possibly years of working on a slogan, that was the best they could come up with? I always imagine people in those crazy clothes the Capitol citizens wear while saying it in a high or strange voice when I think about it.

"Okay. I'll help you. Peeta, can you get the armor? I want the real stuff. We'll also have the promo in your room; no green screen, nothing fancy. It'll give your words more impact. Bring you down to their level, someone they can relate to."

"That's the idea." Anyone could relate to me really, if you cut out the two Games I was in and being the _Phoenix_. Take those out, and I'm just your average seventeen year old boy.

"On it." Peeta walks out of the room quickly.

"So you're going to join the military?" Thelin asks.

"I have to." I give her a serious look. "I can't just sit here and wait for this war to end. This war I started. I can make all the promos I want, but all it does is make me a hypocrite if I preach about fighting back while I sit safely on a military base. I'm a symbol; I have to show an example of what one can do." I glare at the window to my right. "And frankly, I can't let the bastards in the Capitol get away with burning Twelve. One man, and they destroy a district to get him."

"I just want to make sure you're in it for the right reasons." Thelin says as she takes my shoulder and guides me to the elevator.

"It's personal as much as it's moral."

"A lot of people see it much the same way Hayes." Thelin said with a look of determination. "I'm one of them."

* * *

Well that went horrible.

"You can't be too hard on yourself Katniss." Flora tells me as I push my food around my plate.

"Why not? We were counting on that promo, and look how badly that went." I say dejectedly.

"Well...um..." She can't even think of anything else to say. That's how bad it went.

The promo was a disaster. At least the end anyway. When I had to say that stupid slogan. When you looked at me in the promo, I was so herky jerky, and it was the same with my voice. And I looked too nice. They had edited my body to make me look better, but the best way I could describe myself would be a doll. Almost nothing was wrong with me with the exception of a fake bloody bandage on my arm. I was a puppet or something.

Haymitch knew this would happen, flat out told them beforehand, when they forced him to tell me of the promo, but they would have none of it. Now they knew better; knew now to listen to the man that's helped me through my new life when I volunteered for my sister.

They aired it anyways, because there was nothing else we could do. I couldn't go to actual combat since we didn't even have the forces to fight, and I'm considered too valuable to put in danger. We couldn't redo it; it would either end the same or worse. We had to use what we could, and it was absolutely horrible.

"Why did I bother becoming the _Mockingjay _for thirteen when we can't do a single damn thing to change Panem? All we do is sit in this hole in the ground and wait."

"Didn't coin say we had to gather forces?" Flora asks.

"Yeah. Gather forces. How do we do that when Free Panem and the Capitol has millions to support them? How many people do we have? A few thousand? What's a thousand going to do against a few million?"

...

Flora gives a heavy sigh. "Ah, who am I kidding? This is hopeless."

We both stare at out food, occasionally sticking some in our mouth, silent, and rather depressed. We wanted to make a difference, but we couldn't. Thirteen couldn't.

Maybe we should have joined Free Panem.

_"It this thing on?"_

...

...

I...I know that voice...but...

That's...not...possible...

Flora and I look at each other, shock present on both our faces. Everyone in the cafeteria is also silent, all turned on the television. Our eyes move to the closest one to our left.

Brown hair.

Tan skin.

Red eyes.

It's him...

_"Is it? Oh! Okay. Hah, sorry guys, kinda new to this. So let's start. My name is Alto Hayes. Most of you probably knew that."_ He says with a smile.

_"Now I know what you're thinking; how in the hell am I still alive? The Capitol's been feeding you bull about my apparent death right? Yeah, I'd be confused too. As for how I survived, I'm not to sure myself."_ He shrugs. _"Luck I guess. It's one of the few reasons I'm still alive and all. So, I'm alive. Was out for a month because I had to heal, but I'm planing on getting back out there within another month or so. Want to join our brave men and women who've stopped the Capitol cold in their recent attacks in distinct nine. Who are fighting for this nation's freedom. Can't exactly call myself the Phoenix if I'm not willing to fight. To all the soldiers out there, we're all thinking about you back here. Not much, but it's something to keep in mind. God knows I think of you guys."_

_"I really don't have much to talk about. I just wanted to let you all know that I'm alive and that the Capitol isn't doing so well. Something of a moral boost. I hope it works. Heh. Oh! Almost forgot. A little message for Katniss."_ He gets closer to the screen.

_"Sorry honey, but that promo...yeah. But I still love you Ms. Hayes ."_ That gets a smile from me. An actual smile. The last time I smiled was a day before the quall.

He gives a sad smile right after. _"I...miss you. Every second of every day."_ He looks to his left, almost like he knows Flora is here next to me. _"And I miss you too Flora..."_

He wipes his eyes, then takes a breath. _"Well, um, that was a little more than I bargained for. Sorry guys but I've got to get going. Nice talking to you all. And I hope this doesn't sound too bad."_ He gives his signature sloppy two finger salute. _"This is Alto Hayes signing off. And remember; only you can ignite the fires of revolution."_

He gave one last wink, and he disappeared, the television returning to the previous Capitol propaganda that was airing. No one was paying attention to it though. They were too preoccupied with the new information they had seen.

Alto... He was...he _is_ alive...

I ...

I can't breath...

My name is the last thing I hear before I feel myself fall backwards and I see darkness.

* * *

_"Snow..."_

_"I know you can hear me Snow."_

_"Didn't think anyone could hack your airways did you? Or even send this little message to you personally huh? Hmph. I'm going to stop wasting my breath and say what needs to be said."_

_"You remember that promise I made you? That you and the Gamemakers will face the same hell you made for us tributes? I was wrong about one thing..."_

_"__**I'm**_ _going to be the one who does it."_

_"I hope you enjoy watching your power ripped away from you. I'll see you real soon. Count on it."_

As the Phoenix's face disappeared from the screen, President Snow frowned slightly.

...

...

"Well played Alto."

* * *

"So, how was it?"

"Eh. The slogan was a little cheesy."

"Mhm."

It still sounds better then thirteens.


	8. Chapter 8

**Don't own Hunger Games.**

* * *

"Son of a bitch, when will this training be over?!"

"When you stop whining and finish running!"

"Back off Pliny! I know! I'm running faster than you, so don't start!"

"Would you two shut up!"

"This is an A and B conversation, Peeta. See yourself out of it."

"Really? Really?"

"Oh, like you could do any better!"

"Shut your goddamn mouths and run! Twenty more laps! Another sound and I make it fifty!"

"Yes sir!" All three of us reply in union.

Every other soldier around us groaned in annoyance.

"I said no more sounds! Fifty! Next peep and you'll be running while carrying sixty pounds of gear!"

No other sound was made, though the look of everyone's face was that of annoyance and frustration.

Three weeks of training...

How the hell did I survive this?

Well, this long? The length is killing me.

When I first started this, I knew it would be difficult. It was, but the only thing I can complain about is how long this seems to be taking. I should be thankful it's not the full course though; the training was originally eight weeks long, but since we are in the middle of a war, they've had to cut it down four, getting the more important aspects into the weeks: physical training, firing weapons, driving ground vehicles, knowing the chain of command, knowing what means what, outdoor survival, callsigns, parachuting, and using equipment.

Since fifty laps would equal around twelve miles on top of the other twelve we were just about to finish, the PT officer was a little more lenient on the others. He gave us an hour and a half to finish before he let us off to go to breakfast. Today was simple bacon and eggs with sausage, and a biscuit.

"Well that was fun."

"Oh shut up Alto." One of the trainees behind me said.

"Someone's pissed." I glance at the kid before stuffing the bacon in my mouth.

"Can you blame him? You made us run twelve more miles." Peeta replied.

"No, I made you run five. The idiots groaned and that made it twelve. And you guys were talking to me too. It's as much your fault as it is mine. Get your facts right."

"He's right you know." Pliny added, though I doubt that made her feel any better about it.

When Pliny and Peeta joined me in training I was rather confused. Why would they need training if they had already seen combat? Had continued to see combat after twelve burned? Peeta's reasoning makes some sense; he'd train for a week before my rescue from twelve, so he knew the very basics of combat. Pliny didn't make sense though. She use to be a peacekeeper. She generally knew what she was doing. She hasn't given me an answer yet.

"Whatever." Peeta seemed more occupied with eating then anything else.

We quietly finish our breakfast, having enough time to sit their and tease one of the recruits about a stupid thing he did earlier in the week.

"How do you do that? I mean, the nozzle is big enough for you to see. Yet you manage to basicly pepper spray yourself."

"It was small. I couldn't see it. And it was a new type of sprayer. Not the one I was use to."

"You're still an idiot for spraying yourself."

"Shut up Alto."

"Is that all you can say? I swear, I hear you say that at least three times a day."

"Hayes! Arausio! Mellark! Here, now!" The sergeant calls out to all three of us.

"What you do Alto?" Pliny asks while we stand.

"Me? I didn't do a thing." I whisper back as we walk to him. He has another man with him, in his dress blues. His cap in hand; a common courtesy when indoors. What caught my eye was his own. It was the first time I had seen someone with red eyes like mine.

"Sir?"

"Follow me." The man said. He starts walking to the exit of the mess hall, the three of us following closely.

We make our way to the command center, though he took us all the way down the hall and into the room on the left. This room has a rather massive and thick door. It's about the size of the entire wall. When someone inside opens it for us, we see what I can guess is half a foot of metal.

When the door's closed and locked, he turns to the wall, where yet another door resides, though this one has a number dial on the left side.

"You three are to tell no one of this. Do I make myself clear?" The man says.

"Yes sir." We reply uneasily.

He types in the codes to the door faster than our eyes can register. The door responds immediately, sliding to the side to reveal an elevator. He motions for us to enter, which takes us a second to register. When we're all aboard, the door closes and takes us down. Fast.

Pliny, Peeta and I share a glance. What was this? A hidden room? Underground facilities? What was it that they needed from us?

I turn to the man who's been leading us, and he's staring back at me. For a second we do just that; studying each other, trying to read what the other is thinking. He's not giving much away, but there's something about the way he's looking at me. Like he's remembering.

"Are you alright sir?"

He stares a second longer before looking forward again. "Everything's fine Alto. Only tired. I've had to stay up many nights. It's hard trying to lead a revolution."

My eyes widen, while all our bodies stiffen up. This was the man behind Free Panem? The one who's probably had this war planned for years?

"I...I wasn't aware."

"It's alright son." He smiles slightly.

It's another minute until the elevator comes to a stop and we reach the facility. We continue to follow the commander, and the area is much different than anything I've seen. It's very clean, and looks more advance in design then even areas in the Capitol I've seen. It's also very busy, with men and women walking to and fro, working on different projects.

"What is this place?" Pliny finally voices.

"This is an underground facility that the Capitol was using for research and development. They housed it here because of the massive amounts of military personnel needed to keep eleven under control. They attempted to destroy it, but hadn't suspected traitors in their ranks. Now the technology here is ours. It's some of the most advance in the world, even outdoing current Capitol tech."

"So weapons, right?" Peeta asks as we pass a group of people surrounding a dismantled missile.

"Weapons, vehicles, water purification, radiation shields, even terraforming technology. They had almost everything you could think of. I brought you here for one such piece of military hardware. Just past the shooting range here." He points forward, past a shooting range where weapons I've never seen before are being fired. We walk past them down a corridor, where a solid blue force field blocks our way. The wall here looks made of glass, and a soldier in strange armor gives us a nod before pressing a button, which turns the field off. The commander steps to the side and motions to the room.

"You'll find combat armor in the rooms to your left. Throw those on and meet me in this room."

We comply and make our way to the room, basically a changing room of sorts. We don't speak to the each other, seeing it preferable to hurry and not keep the commander waiting.

The armor we wear now is thicker than the normal armor I see soldiers wear, but it's surprisingly light. It's also darker in color, a midnight black, and the armor itself covers more of my body, exposing only my joints. One thing we all notice is the strange rivets in the armor, like something belongs there. It's on our legs, arms, and down our spine.

We find ourselves before the commander once more, who brings his hand up and spins it once at the soldier from earlier. The presses another button.

The ground in front of us opens.

I stumble back and fall as I hear that god awful volcanic roar.

"No! This can't be happening! I killed you! You're fucking dead!" He was a burnt black and red paste on the ground when I last saw him. He shouldn't be here.

His clawed hand digs into the ground around the hole.

And someone grabs my shoulder.

"Alto! Alto, snap out of it! Alto!"

I'm face to face with blue eyes and blond hair, a look of fear, worry, and anger taking his features. Though who he's angry at it questionable.

I take a good look at Peeta, like he wasn't real, then at Pliny, who hasn't moved from her position, staring at me. The commander is doing the same. I turn my gaze back to where I saw the ground open up, to find three strange contraptions above them.

...

...

"Just a flashback. Just a flashback?" I ask.

"Just a flashback." Peeta replies, giving my shoulder a small slap.

"Oh...okay...okay." He helps me stand. The commander's face hasn't changed much from the episode I just had. The only thing I can see now is a little surprise.

"So...uh, what is this?" I start as I approach the strange technology. It's a little shorter then I am, and appears to have very thin legs, arms, and a spine. That's all it really is.

"This is the most advanced personal military equipment in the world, known as the Exo suit." The commander states.

"Exo?"

"Think of an exoskeleton. Something that goes over your body. This piece of tech augments the user's abilities: strength, speed, reaction. Put them on and you'll see what I'm talking about. Just get close and turn your back on them."

We do as he says, walking until we were inches from the suits, then turned our backs. We hear metal clanking behind us, the a small push and a loud _'click'._ The suit then moves to lay on my arms and legs, settles itself under my feet and onto my hands. Another _'click'_, and the suit is now connected to us.

A small touchscreen is connected to my left arm, saying that the suit was now on, and soon changes to a map of the area.

"Woah." Is my first response.

"Not even the half of it. Try jumping the obstacle." He points at an elevated wall, easily two stories tall.

"Okay." I say a little skeptical. I had an idea that the Exo suit would help, but that was still a tall wal. I walk to the base of the wall, looking up and trying to see how I could jump it. The only thing I can think of is a running start.

"Here goes nothing." I start running, and about six feet from the wall, push hard off the ground.

The next sound I hear is that of jets. It's not loud, and came from virtually nowhere. The next thing I knew, I was flying up a lot faster then should be possible. And I landed on top of the wall.

"Ha ha!" Now this was awesome. Even if I didn't know how I got here.

"Holy hell!" Peeta comments.

"My turn!" Pliny seems as excited as I am.

I jump down, landing easily what would have broke my ankles as Pliny takes her turn. She takes a running start like I do, and when she jumps I see what allowed me to reach so high. These suit have small jets on them, that ignite on the jump. It's what was propelling us forward.

After Pliny and Peeta test out the jump capabilities, the commander spoke up. "Now how about you destroy the wall? Punch or kick it."

I'm not nearly as skeptical as I was before, nor are Peeta or Pliny. We approach the wall, and ready to kick. When we do so, our feet punch right through the wall. Unfortunately, the wall caves in on itself towards us. We jump back, the jets on our exo suits aiding us to avoid the debris.

"Now this-" I glance at my hand. "Is awesome. Why isn't this standard?"

"We don't have too many. Only enough for half our special forces. We're trying to get more out, but we just don't have the industry to mass produce them. The only districts that can are two and three." The commander said. He motions to us. "All three of you will be using the exo suits for the last week of your training. You are the lucky few who get to use these."

"Really?" We all say in union.

He nods. He points to a glass door behind us. "We have a course for you here. Use it to your heart's content. Make sure you know how to use everything before the week it out."

"Yes sir!" We all say before taking off to the training course.

"One moment Alto." He calls for me, making me skid to a stop. "Something you may like. Some of our scientists made these especially for you." He motions for me to get closer as he turns around to grab something. He quickly turns around and hands me the items.

"A tomahawk and knife?" I raise an eyebrow

"Made of an alloy that can get through certain types of armor. The second feature helps in that as well. The button on the handles. Press them."

I glance at the handles, finding the switches just high enough for me not to touch them by accident. I flip the switch on both weapons, and I hear a hum. The entirety of the blade and the edge of the tomahawk begin glowing white. I can feel some heat on my hands.

"Are these heated?" I bring the knife close to my face, and I can feel heat radiating from it.

"Superheated. Can cut through any armor when they're like that. You'll find yourself using that in trenches more often than not."

"It's that kind of war?"

"In district nine it is." The commander stated. "Now go on. Learn how to use those things." I merely nod and jog to the course.

Time to put these suits to the test.

* * *

_'So...that's what he's been going through. And that's not even scratching the surface.'_


End file.
